525,600 minutes
by 80sUnLoveChild
Summary: Rachel left, she was gone for one whole year but now she is back. Some are happy to see her but boy is she not happy to see them. What has happened to our fabulous friends in the space of year? And who is going to play Mr or Mrs Fix-it?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

_GLEE_

He had promised, she had given him underwear! Her real underwear, granted they were her least favourite pair but she had worn them and the disgusting little pervert had run the story anyway!

"Rachel!"

Of course it was Finn and judging from his expression he had already seen the blog.

"Finn, I'm-"

"Save it Rachel! How could you? Do you really hate Quinn that much? Do you have any idea what you've done?" He was yelling at her, red in the face, veins popping in his neck yelling.

"Wait, I didn't-"

"Do anything!" He cut her off. "I noticed, thanks a lot Rachel. I thought you were a better person than this, I thought you were a different but you're just the same as all those bitchy cheerios. Do me a favour and stay the hell away from me and my girlfriend."

He stalked off down the hallway before she could even explain anything, she could feel her own anger simmering beneath her skin; anger that Jacob had lied to her, anger that Finn had believed the worst in her. And now she felt anger at the person who had thrown a slushie in her face, the grape stung her eyes and matted in her hair, Puck was holding the jumbo gulp and smirking in satisfaction.

"You shouldn't have let Jacob run that story loser."

She wiped the cold ice from her face with a tissue her vision clearing enough to notice that Mercedes and Kurt were laughing at her from their lockers. In fact everyone was laughing, you'd think it would hurt less after a while but it didn't. Still cold, wet and sticky she walked robotically down the hall and out of the school, she couldn't stand to be in that hell for another minute.

Her walk home was uncomfortable, the slushie dried against her hair, skin and clothes. Cars tooted at her and yelled out things; she probably did look strange, a high school girl walking with no books or bag and covered in a purple slushie.

"Daddy?" She called out entering her house, it was Thursday, which meant he was home rather than at the office, Leroy Berry owned car dealerships all over Ohio which meant she had a pretty nice car, one that she had no intention of ruining by staining its upholstery with slushie.

"Rachel sweetie what happened to you?" He ushered her into the den, the TV was on but muted some random movie playing.

"I haven't exactly been the most truthful about my schooling experience. The education I am receiving is satisfactory but the social aspect has become detrimental to my health." She breathed in deeply, it was a hard thing to do, tell your father you were a loser. "I'm a freak Daddy, the other kids tease me, they draw horrible things about me in the bathrooms and send me nasty messages online, they throw slushies in my face almost daily. I thought I was strong enough to deal with it but I'm sick of being the outcast, I'm sick of not having friends."

"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Leroy asked hugging his daughter tightly to him not caring that he was staining his shirt; that's love.

"Who wants their parents to know they're the laughing stock of their school?" She replied with a sad smile. "I tried so hard to turn the other cheek but somebody else would just throw another slushie at me! No one cares if I'm a talented singer destined for Broadway!"

"How can I make this better?" He asked, he was a sucker for his daughter and would do anything she asked.

"I didn't tell you or Dad but I applied for a scholarship at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in New York; I got an offer last week; it's a full ride Daddy! Liza Minelli, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro all studied there!" Rachel said in a rush. "It's the school from Fame and is a guaranteed introduction to agents and talent scouts from all entertainment avenues."

"You want to leave?"

"I don't want to leave you or Dad but this is an amazing opportunity for me, I would be surrounded by peers who share my passion and don't demean me because of it!" She was pleading her case with passion; her realization that her status as a zero was never going to change did much to drive it. "We could all go up next week together and you can help me settle in. One semester, and if my grades aren't top notch and you still think it is a bad idea I'll move back, no arguments."

"You've really thought this through?" He double-checked. "What about Glee Club and your friends?"

"I don't have any friends." Rachel told him willing herself not to cry. "The Glee Club only tolerate me because they know without my voice they won't win at sectionals, they saw what happened today and they laughed!"

"Well if it's what you really want." He agreed reluctantly, it was only one semester, he consoled himself.

"Oh thank you Daddy!" Rachel beamed and it wasn't even forced, she hugged him tightly. "I'll go call the admissions office and notify them of my acceptance!"

Rachel skipped away up the stairs leaving Leroy by himself, he sighed and reached for his phone calling his husband. This was going to be a long conversation.

_GLEE_

She hadn't bothered with school the next day, her fathers had booked tickets for them on Friday giving her two days to pack. It was surreal to think this was the last time she would walk to halls of McKinley, at least if she had her way. Her fathers had already informed Principal Figgins of her transfer but she felt compelled to inform Mr Schuester himself, she didn't want him to think it was his fault. It wasn't although he had tried to stand in the way of her career.

"Rachel!" He exclaimed as she appeared in the doorway of the Spanish classroom, the students glanced at her briefly not paying her attention past that.

"Can I speak to you for a moment in the hall?"

She pretended not to feel the eyes of several of the glee clubbers as he followed her.

"I'm not sure if Principal Figgins has informed you or not but I've accepted a scholarship to a performing arts school in New York, I leave tomorrow."

The shock on his face was evident, this was definitely the first he had heard of it.

"But why?"

"It's what's best for me, everyone already thinks I'm a selfish brat so I may as well do something to make myself happy." She answered. "You can tell the club, I'm sure they'll all be excited to take over my solos, I wish you the best of luck."

Taking advantage of his shock she quickly strode away to her locker she needed to empty it finally freeing her from this place. Bag full and bulky she gave one last look to McKinley High, she wasn't sad to leave it, taking that first step out of there felt amazing. She was getting out of this cow town, going to the bright lights of New York City; she'd escaped.

_GLEE_

**The past is the prologue. Hope you enjoyed this little snippet, I've written 42 pages of this story already so you can pretty much expect updates weekly. I'm cheating on this story with another that involves Rachel telling Mr Schuester exactly what she thinks of him and boy it isn't pretty! I've also dabbled with a crossover between Glee and That 70's Show in which Leroy is son to WB and thus brother of Hyde making Jackie her aunt. And Hyde doesn't like people who mess with his family... Well that will be up soon I assure you! In the meantime do me a favour and start writing your own Finchel fic. We will need it it Ryan Murphy really does give us Fuinn when we get back. I threw up in my mouth just writing that sentence. **


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

525,600 minutes. According to Joel Larson that was how long she had been away from Lima, Ohio. She could lie and say that it only felt like yesterday that she had accepted her scholarship and moved away to a better life but it didn't, it felt longer.

She was safely ensconced in the back seat of her father's car with her best friend Indigo drooling on her shoulder, she was grateful that Indi had insisted on seeing the town too stupid to recognize Rachel's talent and value; Indi's words.

"We're home."

The house looked the same but it didn't look like home, was it wrong that the tiny closet space that she and Indi called a dorm room felt more like home than the place that had seen her formative years and was practically a shrine to her?

"Oh it's got window boxes and everything!" Indi squealed remarkably awake considering she had been snoring mere seconds ago.

"Wait till you see the inside." Leroy chuckled, if she was this excited by window boxes wait till she saw the apple pie cooling in the kitchen.

"This is going to be so fun, I've never even been in a real house before with neighbours who sit on porches and drink tea while kids ride their bikes around the neighbourhood."

Indi sounded so wistful, far from the jaded New Yorker most would assume her to be. Born and bred in Brooklyn the product of a one-night stand between her ex Rock Star father and a groupie who had fled after she was born, Indi had immediately adopted Rachel upon her arrival at the school. When Rachel had informed her she was to return to Lima it had taken her approximately 4.5 seconds before Indi had started packing her own bags to come along. Her father hadn't cared since with her gone he could continue his drunken drug hazed existence without interruption.

"This is Lima not a town from the fifties."

Rachel had developed a very biting wit from being around New Yorkers, having been forced by her fathers to take Krav Magra had also instilled a confidence she had been lacking.

"Lighten up Rachey, this is going to be fun." Indi slung an arm around Rachel's shoulders and followed after Leroy who was moving their suitcases, the rest of their stuff would be arriving in a truck later in the week.

"I'm going to remind you of that tomorrow after school." Rachel said sourly, she had seriously considered asking to be home schooled rather than returning to that hellhole.

"Whoa." Indi took stock of what had to be dozens of Rachel's smiling at her. "It's like your eyes watch me wherever I go." She moved about trying to see if she could escape their gaze.

"Stop dancing in the hall." Rachel grabbed her arm pulling her to the stairs. "Your room is right next to mine and we share a bathroom."

"Rachel honey!" Hiram rushed into the room interrupting the girls and hugging his daughter tightly to him. Letting go he hugged Indi too, as Rachel's best friend she was practically family.

"Hi Dad." She smiled her famous Berry smile, so perfectly practiced no one would know it was fake.

"We've got everything all sorted out, Principal Figgins is expecting you in his office tomorrow morning before classes." He explained. "Your car is outside and ready for our little star."

Her beautiful cherry red mustang, she'd missed driving it.

"That's great Dad." She said with false enthusiasm which Indi caught smothering a laugh, after a year in a tiny room she could read Rachel like the back of her hand.

"We've got your room all set up honey." He addressed Indi. "And of course her room is opposite ours."

Her. The reason she had come home, the reason she had to go back there.

"Can we see her?" Indi asked, she always had been a sucker for babies.

"Here she is." Leroy walked in holding the little baby, Beth. Rachel just stared at the little girl with the big blue eyes, only six months old and motherless like she. Of course there was a difference between them, their mother had wanted her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for the funeral." Rachel apologized, she actually wasn't. She doubted she could stomach attending the funeral for a mother she had never known and whom had never wanted her.

"It's okay pumpkin, you're here to be a big sister to this little girl." Indi was making faces while Beth grabbed her hair the big curls obviously fascinated her.

Her mother, she'd tracked her down while she had been in New York. Called the phone number and asked to speak to her; Shelby that was her name. She'd heard the cry of the baby in the background, the baby good enough for her mother. Two months later she was dead and her fathers had been named in Shelby's will as the guardians of baby Beth Corcoran now Beth Berry.

"We should unpack, I need a full nights rest to mentally, physically and emotionally prepare myself for tomorrow." She announced, she couldn't be resentful of the gorgeous baby that her mother had deemed worthy of her affections, but nonetheless it was still hard to be around her.

"Of course, if you need anything just let us know." Leroy held Beth up and used her chubby hand to wave goodbye to the girls closing the door behind them.

"So this is your room." Indi summed up gazing around the room. "Did a marshmallow explode in here?"

Rachel shoved her friend; although her room was far pinker than she remembered. Of course her walls were still covered in Broadway posters her old school textbooks still lined her desk. She hated it, she longed for the exposed brick of their dorm covered in signed playbills and photos.

"We can paint over the weekend. Once all our stuff arrives from the dorm we can redecorate properly." Rachel decided unzipping her suitcase and pulling her neatly folded clothes from it. First came her skirts, her style hadn't changed much over the year; skirts, knee socks, animal sweaters all still in her closet. She had relented and thrown away her pantsuits and the animal sweaters that remained were Carver approved; the self appointed Carson Kressely of Di LaGuardia had declared her animal sweaters retro chic and had only culled those he considered truly offensive. He had at first reminded Rachel of Kurt but he was far nicer than the other boy.

"Ooh you have to wear that tomorrow!" Indi decided pulling back out the dress they had bought maybe three months ago. It was a plain white dress with black polka dots, nothing special except for the Carver embellishments of course. He'd added a layer of tulle under the skirt and a thick black ribbon around the top which tied behind her neck. He'd also stolen her white ballet flats and painted the lyrics to _Defying Gravity_ on them using some kind of leather colouring that assured the words would neither fade nor wash away.

"Fine." Rachel agreed laying the outfit and shoes across her desk chair, Indi was already rummaging through the smaller suitcase that housed jewellery and make up for the necklace she'd made out of old scrabble tiles that spelt Rachel and was strung together using a thin wire that was practically invisible. "Carver will kill me if this outfit is

covered in slushie tomorrow."

"You can just flip the guy on his ass like you did that Jesse guy that kept coming onto you after the play last March."

Rachel gave her friend a look, that had been a very different situation in which a boy had not understood her objections to his hands on her ass, he'd realized soon enough after she'd flipped over her shoulder and almost broken his arm.

"Somehow I doubt my fathers would be too pleased if they were called into the Principal's office on my first day back." She responded wryly.

"I'm just saying, you know better than to let some Podunk cow humper try to use you to make themselves feel better about the size of their dick." Indi smirked.

"Language!" Rachel hissed blushing scarlet, which was something Indi would never tire of. "You know that in spite of my training I detest violence and that kind of language. Control yourself!"

"Yeah, yeah Rachey. I should get started in my room I'll see you in the morning." Indi waved leaving Rachel alone in her room. Back in Lima, back to where she was nothing but a loser, a freak, Ru Paul, Man Hands. She hadn't escaped; she was once again in the prison that was William McKinley High School.

_GLEE_

Indi had practically slobbered over her car the entire ride to school, a full half an hour earlier than most students showed up except for the cheerios and footballers who had practice.

"Seriously when I die I want to be buried in this car."

"You can't even drive!" Rachel laughed.

"I'm a New Yorker. No one drives in New York." Indi dismissed. "But I may as well learn while I'm here, maybe then I can take this for a ride."

"I'm immune to your pout." Rachel reminded her steering the two towards the Principal's office; it had only been a year she still remembered where everything was.

"Rachel?"

The girl in question closed her eyes and breathed deeply pushing her fringe out of her eyes.

"Good Morning Miss Pillsbury, it's lovely to see you again. How are you?"

"I'm very well thank you. Principal Figgins told me of your return and this must be Indigo?" The pale red head asked eying the two girls.

"That's me." Indi replied with a big smile.

"If you girls need anything my door is always open." She offered. "Will you two be signing up for Glee?"

Rachel balked at the question and her face must have shown it.

"Of course we will." Indi chirped. "We wouldn't miss it for the world."

"That's fantastic news, I'm sure the kids will be very excited." Miss Pillsbury gushed.

"I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude but we have to see Principal Figgins and I abhor tardiness." Rachel cut in flashing an apologetic smile to the guidance counsellor and pulling her friend down the hall.

"Maybe you should join track with how fast you got away from her." Indi commented when they arrived at the office.

"If you hadn't said we'd sign up for Glee I wouldn't have had to pull you away." Rachel argued. "You know how I feel about those people."

"So? You love singing, don't let those idiots stop you from doing something you enjoy." Indi shuddered. "When did we enter an episode of Degrassi?"

"Girls, welcome!" Principal Figgins called out interrupting their argument. He shook their hands ushering them into their seats before starting the mundane task of handing them schedules, locker assignments, combinations and all that boring stuff.

"I arranged for one of the Glee kids to show you around school-"

"That wont be necessary." Rachel cut him off. "I have a photographic memory and can show Indi where all of her classes are, our schedules are almost identical."

"Very well." Principal Figgins clapped. "Just tell her that her assistance is no longer needed, she should be waiting outside."

From her viewpoint Rachel couldn't see into the small reception area but after a quick mental debate she deduced that the only viable candidates would be either Tina or Mercedes.

"Berry?"

Oh just kill her now and get it over with. Standing before her was Santana Lopez in all of her red cheerio glory.

"Santana." She replied emotionlessly. "As I just explained to Principal Figgins I still have a clear memory of the outlay of the school and will show Indi around myself. You can leave now."

Santana didn't even appear to be listening; her thumbs were already punching away at her phone. Not waiting for her to look up or say anything else Rachel grabbed Indi by the elbow and marched them in the direction of their lockers conveniently located nowhere near each other.

"So your locker is here, mine is in the south hall so we can stop there before Spanish which is in the south hall too."

Rachel babbled, a defence mechanism she had always embraced wholeheartedly.

Dumping her whole bag in the locker her hands now free Indi swung around and shook her best friend by the shoulders.

"Breathe! It's only a high school. One year and then we'll back in the smog remember?" Indi demonstrated the deep breathing. "Do I need to slap you?"

Indi waved her hand teasingly, Rachel breathed in deeply and smiled as if to say all better.

"The freak's back!"

"Is that man hands?"

"Aw and me without a slushie!"

It was like a tidal wave of insults, obviously Santana had utilised every social network in existence who knew her return was such juicy gossip?

"Come on Indi I want to find my locker before Spanish." Rachel mumbled looking down at the ground, she hated the way they could all instantly make her feel like nothing.

"Sure one sec." Indi threw her Spanish book and a folder full of loose leaf in her bag and jammed a couple of pens in her hair twirling it into a messy bun. "Let's go."

Her luck had already run out before her first class and to be honest she wasn't all that surprised to see him loitering around her locker. Disgusted and suddenly feeling in desperate need of a shower? Yes, surprised no.

"Jacob." She greeted evenly.

"The rumours are true! My wet dream has returned, what will it take for you to be mine? I'll give you my house, my car, my body."

"Ew. Back away Jewfro not even a freak like RuPaul here would want you!"

The cheerios all laughed and kept walking. Somehow they had managed to both insult her and do something nice for her in a way.

"I'm back and not even the promise of winning a Tony on my first year on Broadway would make me yours." Rachel told him opening her locker and transferring her books to their shelves, she'd decorate her door later.

"Can I at least get an interview for my Glee blog? With your return I'm sure the group will be shaken up, it should make for a very interesting post." He pleaded literally on hands and knees.

"No comment." Indi barked shutting Rachel's door for her, even with Rachel's flair for the dramatic she hadn't been exaggerating about this place. The boy was still on his knees staring after Rachel like a cat in heat while the two girls quickly hustled into the classroom, which was of course empty since class didn't start for another ten minutes.

"I told you I wasn't embellishing." Rachel said primly lining up her pens on the desk and opening her notebook printing the date in the right hand corner.

"Wait till I tell Carver that Lima really is just as freaky as you told us, he's going to want to move here too." Indi giggled expecting Rachel to join in but instead her best friend was wearing her serious face.

"I hope you realize how grateful I am that you insisted on returning to this place with me. I don't think I would have been able to cope around these people without you." She said earnestly.

"After everything you told me what kind of friend would I be if I let you come back here alone?" Indi replied squeezing Rachel's shoulder.

Their hallmark movie of the week moments was ruined when the students started trickling in, Rachel the epitome of a statue stared straight ahead as though she couldn't hear the whispers and had noticed the stares.

"Rachel?"

Wow, Carver would have a field day over this guys clothing, glasses and hair.

"Hello Artie." Rachel greeted stiffly offering up a prim smile to the obviously shocked boy. He seemed to want to say more but the curly haired teacher had clapped signalling the start of class.

"Okay class we have two new students with us today, or should I say one new and one returning student. Rachel, Indigo." He gestured for the girls to stand up. "Why don't you tell us a little about yourselves? Rachel you can start us off."

"Hello I'm Rachel Berry and I've returned to Lima after a year in New York." She said all this curtly ignoring the snickers and the 'geek' either sneezed or coughed; people seriously still did that?

She sat back down quickly leaving Indi standing awkwardly while the group stared her down, Santana the girl from earlier was smirking at her surrounded by more faceless girls in cheerleading uniforms.

"I'm Indigo Davis and I'm from Brooklyn."

Mr. Schuester looked disconcerted; apparently that wasn't what he had had in mind by telling the class about themselves.

"Okay let's turn to chapter three, girls if you wait after class I can talk to you both to see where you are at with the curriculum."

The students butchered the language for the next forty minutes; Rachel took her notes carefully ignoring Artie's whispers to her.

"Girls, Rachel it's nice to have you back." Mr Schuester said once the room had emptied out. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother."

Rachel flinched, she wasn't her mother she was an egg donor.

"And I appreciate that but I would prefer not to dwell on the circumstances surrounding my return. I'm sure Principal Figgins can show you our transcripts, we are actually further ahead in the curriculum but that shouldn't be too much of a bother." Rachel said in a steady stream not stopping to breathe once.

"Great." He obviously wasn't as enthusiastic as he was pretending to be. "I'll write you two a pass for your next class. Will I be seeing you both at Glee this afternoon?"

"I'm not sure that would be wise." Rachel answered. "Given the reaction I have received thus far I doubt my presence would be welcome."

"I'm sure that's not true, we'd love to have you both. We're focussing on songs of hope this week, I'd love to hear your suggestions."

He was dangling a carrot in front of her, Indi's voice from earlier was echoing through her brain.

"Well I suppose stopping by this afternoon would do no harm, but I reserve the right to leave at anytime." She bargained, she knew that the odds were she would be leaving no less than five minutes after her arrival.

"No problem, Principal Figgins told me of your situation and I'm happy to take that into consideration. I'm sure it has been a rough month." He rubbed her shoulder comfortingly noticing the tension in it.

"You know me Mr. Schuester, no sense dwelling on the negative. We'll see you in the choir room after school."

_GLEE_

**Happy Australia Day! As a little gift here is a brand new chapter! Coming up next Rachel's big reunion with New Directions! How will it all go down? **


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

The rest of the day passed far too quickly for Rachel's liking. She'd seen several of her former Glee Clubbers and had ducked her head or pulled Indi in the opposite direction each time. They'd avoided the cafeteria by taking refuse in the as always empty choir room using the hour to call Carver and inform him that no they hadn't died in a fiery plane crash but had just been too busy to call last night.

"I just want to reiterate to you that this is a terrible idea the consequences of which will surely be catastrophic."

Indi looked between Rachel and the choir room door.

"It's just a glee club girlie." Indi replied rolling her eyes, Rachel shook her head and sighed, at least she'd warned her.

The group fell silent as the two entered the room; Mr Schuester smiled widely beckoning them in, Indi essentially dragging Rachel with her.

"Sorry we're late, Indi needed to speak with Miss Pillsbury about her schedule." Rachel explained hurriedly staring only at the glee club coach and ignoring the club openly staring at her.

"No worries Rachel we're just glad you came. I'm sure you all remember each other?"

"I wish I didn't."

"How could we forget that nose?"

"I'm not giving up any of my solos to little Miss Diva."

The voices overlapped each other but Rachel could identify each speaker, she'd anticipated that reaction and kept a blank look on her face. Mr Schuester glared at the group who quietened hastily.

"And this is Indigo Davis, she transferred from New York with Rachel."

"Poor thing." Santana mock whispered giggling at her own joke. Indi raised her eyebrows and gave the girl a look.

"Santana." Mr Schuester warned, the Latina merely raised her hands in mock surrender and smiled blithely at Rachel. "Do you have anything you'd like to sing for us?"

"Here we go."

"Why couldn't I have been born deaf?"

Rachel's mask cracked slightly and she frowned turning to Indi who clearly read her face.

"It seems my presumptions were correct and as per our agreement I'll be leaving now, I wouldn't want to waste any more of your time." Fixing the group as a whole with the nastiest look in her repertoire she strode out of the room in what the group would most likely call a classic Rachel Berry storm out.

"She wasn't exaggerating when she told me about you guys." Indi mumbled, turning to the teacher she smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry Mr Schuester but I don't want to be a part of a club that seems to pride itself on cruelty."

The door smacked shut behind Indi, the halls echoing with her footsteps as she chased after Rachel.

"Oh honey."

She knew it would only be a matter of time before her façade crumbled, she had hoped it would take longer than a day. Here she was, just as pathetic as last year crying her out in her car. Wasn't the point of glee club to share a love of music? Why didn't that apply to her?

"I want to go home." She sobbed, nose snotty, voice crackling. "I hate it here!"

"I'm beginning to understand why you were so broken when I met you." Indi whispered stroking Rachel's hair. "Those people were harsher than Carver on the first day of fashion week."

Rachel giggled in spite of herself.

"Was that a laugh? Ladies and gentlemen, Rachel Berry just laughed!"

"Haha very funny Indi." Rachel shoved at her friend reaching for the tissues to wipe away the evidence of her meltdown. Through the rear-view mirror she spotted a figure descending upon them. "We have to go."

"Slow down there babe, I'm not a licensed driver but even I know you need the keys to be in the ignition and not your purse." Indi teased while Rachel frantically tried to start the car.

"I need to talk to you."

The boy had opened the car door and was squatting by Rachel; evidently they weren't going just yet.

"What do you want Puck?" Rachel sighed not wanting to deal with this preferably ever.

"A lot's happened since you've left and it's a good thing you're back Finn really needs you."

"Well here's the thing." Rachel started fixing a glare on the footballer. "I don't care what Finn needs, I don't care what he wants and I don't care what you want. I'm only here because I have to be, and as soon as that changes I'll be gone. So you stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours."

"Nobody told you about what went down last year after you left." Puck stated surprised.

"And it wouldn't change a thing if someone did. **I don't care**." She emphasized the last three words.

"You cared an awful lot last year." He shot back with a cocky grin.

"That was last year." She spat out. "If you're expecting me to be the same pathetic little slushie victim you're going to be sorely disappointed. I honestly could not care less about some stupid drama that happened last year, that's your sad little life not mine."

"You can't just switch off those feelings Rachel, believe me I know." Puck was persistent; she'd give him that. "Quinn's baby, it was mine."

"Congratulations you just became a cliché and a statistic." Indi shouted from the car, Carver was going to kill her for not recording this. Rachel whipped around and frowned at her best friend giving her a look that clearly told her to shut up.

"I'm not sure why you think that is of the slightest interest to me." Rachel said slowly slipping into her emotionless mask. "I'm not here to become entangled in your life, I'm here for my family. If Finn needed me as you so vehemently insist he has had ample opportunity today to seek me out. Had he done so he would have received the same reception as yourself."

"Berry, last year sucked for all of us but especially for Finn. You know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important." Puck was actually pleading now, the situation was obviously dire.

"Oh I have no doubt it is important, I'm sure that Finn is experiencing roughly the same pariah status I have my whole life. And perhaps I would have empathy for him if I felt he was deserving of it but he's not. You're not. Glee club's not." She punctuated each word making sure they landed, and they did Puck was stupefied.

"I can't change last year but I'm trying. Come on as a fellow Jew can't you find it in your heart to forgive me, forgive Finn and help?"

He must be desperate to play the faith card, Indi was apparently moved by his speech given her weepy expression then again she always had been a sucker for repentant men.

"Why should I?"

She honestly wanted to know why she, Rachel Barbra Berry, was deemed to be Finn Hudson's supposed salvation.

"Because he's in love with you."

That hadn't come from Puck, she recognized the voice, there was no way she would be able to forget it. Kurt had managed to sneak up on them during the conversation; Rachel was kicking herself for not being more aware.

"I have to go." She said evenly not wanting to deal with this situation, in particular Kurt.

"You're not going anyway Diva, I snagged your spark plug during sixth period." Kurt held up the object in question,

having a mechanic for a father paid off at times. "I've been trying to pin you down all day, we need to have a little chat."

"Whoa Déjà Carver." Indi mumbled, with his hands on hips and chin jutted out he was the spitting image of her big gay best friend or BGBF for short.

"You deign to converse with an annoying selfish brat like me?" Rachel mocked. "I think I'll decline the invitation, if I wanted to be insulted I would have stayed at glee practice and let Santana, Quinn and Mercedes take pot shots at me."

"Does the fact that I refrained from such activities buy me a minute of your time?" Kurt replied, had she known how hard it had been to keep from joining in she would surely give him her time.

"Sixty seconds."

"I know we've never gotten along but I have to share a room with that wallowing shell of a human being who spends all of his time moping over being an idiot and pushing away the only person who tried to help him. Nothing has worked and when I got that text this morning I thought finally hallelujah, Rachel Berry is back and Finn will be normal again. I need Finn to be normal again, I can't handle listening to his depressing power ballads from the eighties anymore so whatever misdeed you feel has been thrust so egregiously upon you I must insist you get over it so that you can fix him! We wont get past sectionals when our male lead looks like someone murdered his puppy and we need to make it this year. Nationals are in New York!"

Now done Kurt took a deep breath and smiled obviously pleased with himself.

"And he calls you the selfish one?" Indi double-checked with Rachel whistling when she nodded to the affirmative, she mouthed wow and returned to her cell phone which contained a verbatim transcript of this conversation.

"You had your sixty seconds, put the spark plug back in."

Kurt was shocked, he was certain his speech would send Rachel running for Finn.

"That's all you have to say?"

"You expected something else?" Rachel shot back. "I'm not here to make your life easier, if I thought for one second that you had sought me out for something other to help yourself maybe I would have considered it. But you didn't,

you guys are still the same people you were last year, I actually feel sorry for you."

"Who are you?" Kurt asked shaking his head at her. "Finn is broken and you're not going to do anything to help?"

"Why should she?" Indi yelled pausing her transcribing duties to stick up for her friend. Rachel once again gave her the shut up look but she ignored it. "You guys broke her and you didn't do a damn thing to fix that."

"INDIGO VIOLET DAVIS!" Rachel full named her attention completely off the two boys and focused solely on her friend.

"I can handle this, ok?"

Indi shrugged and grabbed back at her phone, she had said what she needed to. Rachel took one yoga style breath and then turned back to the two boys.

"I'm not the person you knew, and you should be doing cartwheels about that considering you hated her. You hated that Rachel Berry and you wanted her gone and now she is. That means you have to live with the consequences, you killed the Rachel Berry that would care. Ironic, since apparently she's only one that could fix everything." She smiled sadly and glanced down at her hood. "Put the spark plug back in or I'll call the police and report you for vandalism."

Kurt's smug look fell completely off his face and he walked around to the front of the car motioning for Rachel to pop the hood, within minutes her car revved to life. Without bothering to thank him she reversed out of her parking spot and zoomed out, she didn't need to glance back to know they were still watching her.

_GLEE_

Rachel had never been so thankful for the weekend, she had expected Kurt and Puck to back off after their confrontation but instead they had recruited Mike and Mercedes to their cause. Mr. Schuester had held her back after Spanish once again pleading the club's case giving her his word that they would be on their best behaviour.

"Mr Schuester I cannot think of one sane reason why I should put myself through that again." Rachel argued hugging her books to her chest.

"Glee Club is meant to be about accepting everyone no matter their social status or personality."

It went unspoken what he meant by personality although they both knew who he was referring to.

"So I should risk my mental well being in the name of a glee club who have made no secret of their desire to rip out my vocal chords rather than hear me sing?" She challenged blowing on her bangs.

"They respect your talent Rachel, if anything they're worried that with you back in the mix that they wont have as many solos." Mr Schuester paused pulling out the big guns. "I know the other day didn't work out how I planned but please Rachel don't let a few jealous kids stop you from doing what you love. The Rachel Berry I always admired wouldn't let that stop her."

"I know what you're doing, I've been in therapy since I was four years old." She snapped quickly annoyed by his impish grin.

"Is it working?"

"Have the band ready at 3, Indi and I will have something prepared."

Rachel was at the door and striding down the hall before Mr Schuester could answer but any student passing by could clearly see the Spanish teacher dancing a jig in his classroom.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Indi double-checked twirling her drumsticks. "Because they aren't going to be too happy after hearing it."

"Exactly, Mr Schuester said they were exploring songs of hope. This happens to fit the criteria perfectly; we are saying that through this song we are no longer taking the opinions of lesser minds into account when calculating our own self worth."

"I'm pretty sure when he wrote this song he was high on lighter fluid and was pissed off about a bad review." Indi told her, she wasn't against this plan at all in fact she loved it and after her first run in with the group she definitely agreed that they needed a wake up call.

"He still wrote a great song." Rachel shrugged. "But if I am to understand you correctly all of your father's best songs were written when he was under the influence of mind altering substances?"

"Yep, because that's the way rock and roll goes." Indi smiled. "At least Jackson steers clear of that for his inspiration."

"I'm not sure copious amounts of whiskey and women are much better." Rachel argued, Indi's brother was definitely a man whore.

"As long as I never get a three am phone call asking me to collect him because he was found in a fire station wearing only a fireman's hat and covered in what was later confirmed to be several types of sex wax I don't care what he does." Indi dismissed, and that was one of her father's tamer exploits.

"After a year with you and having met your father I'm not even surprised." Rachel paused, hand on door. "Let's do this."

Mr Schuester was winding down from his lecture judging from the glazed expressions of the group.

"Right on time girls." Brad started shuffling his papers and the band fiddled with their instruments, Rachel moved towards the centre of the room while Indi took her place behind the drums.

"It's come to my attention that the last time we were all together you all got to have your little say about my return but I didn't." Her voice came out steady and clear but emotionless. "Mr Schuester has informed me that this week you are studying songs that evoke hope. I'll leave it up to all of you to guess what I hope you gleam from this selection."

Taking a final deep breath she nodded to Indi to begin the drums.

"_Maybe I'm just not good enough for you  
And maybe I just don't want to be like you  
And maybe I just don't want to know  
How low you're ready to go  
I'm not going to change you can't make me"_

Rachel opened her eyes and winked at Indi who was smirking back at her striding forward she locked eyes with each member noticing that Finn wasn't there.

"_You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You're what I never want to be"_

Stepping back she moved over to where Indi was playing the drums and stood by her.

"_Tell me does it feel good to be like you?  
And tell me why should I waste my time with you?  
Cause maybe you always bring me down  
I'm sick of being pushed around  
I'm not going to change you can't make me"_

Keeping their heads together they sang together their voices perfectly matched, obviously they had partnered together before.

"_You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You're what I never want to be"_

Indi glanced over at the group who were in varying degrees of shock, it was quite obvious they had never heard Rachel sing a rock songs before, one with pop punk undertones but living with the daughter of the rock star _Rolling Stone_ had once dubbed 'The Prince of Punk' she had quickly adapted folding it into her repertoire. Especially after Indi had forced her to see _American Idiot_.

"_I know you think you know me  
You don't know anything  
I know you want to help me  
you don't know anything  
Don't tell me where to go  
I don't need you to know_

_You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You don't you don't you don't you don't  
You don't mean anything to me  
You're what I never want to be  
You don't mean anything to be  
You're what I never want to be"_

Rachel was breathing heavy after the last note, but she was also beaming widely. Indi stuck her drumsticks into her back pocket and walked over to her friend grabbing her in a one-arm hug.

"So what do you think?" Rachel asked Indi who was wiping off her sweat with her t-shirt.

"Oh I think Ms. Simms would be even more impressed." She joked, when they had first tackled this song it had been about a month after Rachel had left Lima, their teacher had been suitably impressed that her voice had added such raw emotion to the song.

Mr Schuester had clapped their performance as had Artie and Mike, the others noticeably kept their hands at their sides.

"What a song, Ditch Davis and the Degenerates such a great band!" He enthused; obviously he had not connected the dots to Indi. "But I'm not exactly sure how you connect it with hope."

"Well the song has a very personal connection to both Rachel and I." Indi answered dryly. "I'm sure that Ditch Davis had something else in mind when he wrote it but what we have taken away from the song is that in life there will always be people who are intimidated by who you are but you shouldn't change to please them."

"And through this song you are telling those haters you aren't playing their game?" Artie guessed. "I'll holler!"

"Exactly." Rachel smiled at him quickly and nodded, Mr Schuester threw his arms around both girls.

"That was great, out of the box thinking!" Letting go he motioned to the risers. "Why don't you two take a seat while Finn performs his selection?"

"Mr Schue?" Santana said raising her hand. "Finn left when Man hands came in."

Taking a quick glance he noticed that Santana was right and Finn's chair was empty.

"Well I guess we can finish early tonight, I'll see you all Monday. Remember we're suggesting songs for sectionals in the coming weeks!"

The group now unsupervised by Mr Schuester fixed glares on Rachel and Indi. Rachel ignored them scooping up her backpack while Indi entertained herself glaring back.

"Was that supposed to be about us?" Mercedes snapped using every bit of attitude she had.

"Wow, ever hear of 'You're So Vain'?" Indi snapped back, she was from Brooklyn this girl just thinks she is.

"I'm not an idiot, y'all were singing about us." Mercedes replied. "At least be brave enough to admit."

"Yes the song was directed at you." Rachel cut in before her friend could reply and start a new world war. "And if you had been listening you would know that neither of us care what you think so just go ahead and belittle us so you can feel better about yourselves. We have to be home to babysit by six so that gives you at least an hour."

Mercedes was thrown, it walked like Rachel Berry, it looked like Rachel Berry but it couldn't be her.

"Here I'll start you off." Indi decided turning to Rachel and adopting a stupid look with a tilt of her head. "O M G you can't like take my solos now that you're back because I want them and it's not selfish for me to want them but it is selfish when you do."

"Indi don't." Rachel warned, she had said what she needed to with her song. She would gain no pleasure by being excessively mean to people, she wasn't a hypocrite. "You promised Jackson you'd call him, why don't you go do that now?"

"Fine, but I'm telling him you called him a man whore." She poked her tongue out and started to walk off.

"Who's Jackson?" Tina wondered aloud, flicking heavily lined eyes between Rachel and Indi's retreating back.

"JACKSON THIS IS YOUR SISTER ANSWER YOUR GODDAMN PHONE!"

"Well that answers that question." Tina again said aloud more to herself. Indi continued to scream into her phone down the hall while Rachel slipped into past habits and began to pack up the chairs. Obviously bored that Rachel was not being goaded into a fight Santana and Brittany left, Tina and Mike following soon after.

"Hey Rachel can we talk?"

She wanted to bang her head against the wall hard, like losing brain cells hard.

"Artie if you are here to inform me that it is my duty to make Finn better you can save your breath as I have already heard it."

Artie looked at the floor bashfully for a moment, he did need to talk to Rachel about Finn in a way.

"It's not about that exactly." He said slowly adjusting his glasses. "I wanted to apologize for last year. I know you left because of how you were being treated and I'm sorry if I was a part of that."

Rachel frowned; Artie had never been an instigator in her troubles and was out of the whole group possibly the only person who had never outwardly treated her badly.

"Is there somewhere more private we can have this conversation?" She asked, she could feel the eyes staring at them.

Artie nodded and wheeled them towards the auditorium, which was as usual empty. "Artie I didn't just leave because I felt unwanted. LaGuardia was an amazing opportunity for me, I finally felt like I belonged. Coming back here has only shown me how much I didn't before."

"I know how that feels." He mumbled. "Ever since Tina broke up with me I've felt like I've been squeezed out of the club. Mercedes sided with Tina and so of course Kurt did too. The only person who still talks to me is Finn and he barely says more than two words these days."

"I'm sorry Artie, I never thought they would do that to you." She rubbed his shoulder. "And I'm sorry about you and

Tina. If it means anything, I think she looked much happier with you than she does with Mike."

"Thanks Rachel." He smiled. "Now can I talk to you about Finn? He's my best friend and I think at least one of us deserves to be happy."

"Why is everyone suddenly so emphatic that what Finn needs is me? When I left he hated me and wanted nothing to do with me. If that changed he has had a year to make amends." Rachel said unhappily, she refused to believe he needed her when he had done nothing to seek her out. "He hasn't come to me at all."

"He's ashamed." Artie explained wheeling forward to reach for Rachel's hand. "After you left Jacob told everyone that you had nothing to do with him posting the story, he also went on a rant about taking away his beautiful Berry that still haunts my dreams."

His words had their intended effect and Rachel giggled, encouraged he rushed on.

"Finn felt horrible especially when he found out you were gone, he was going to contact you but Quinn refused to let him. When Puck told him the truth about the baby he completely lost it, he beat the crap out of Puck and told Quinn some things, mostly that he wanted her gone from his life." Artie paused to take a deep breath. "Things escalated after that. Karofsky and Azimio were relentless, it got bad Rachel, Finn ended up in the hospital."

There was no way her icy façade would survive that revelation, her eyes bulged and her hand covered her mouth, which had fallen in a perfect 'o'.

"What happened?"

"Karofsky stole John Humner's crutches and hung them from the flagpole, the hockey team threw him in the dumpster. Finn found him and was trying to help him out when Azimio and his hockey goons jumped him, he broke a few ribs and had to have his spleen removed."

"How are they still in school?" Rachel asked, she knew Principal Figgins was soft but this was horrifying.

"They got done with a couple hundred hours of community service, one of the hockey guy's dad is Mayor, it got pretty ugly." Artie explained. "Ever since then he's been really quiet, he still plays football and comes to glee but it's like he's not even there. When he heard you were back, I swear it was the first time since then that I saw him smile."

"Then why hasn't he come to me?"

"He thinks he deserves to be so miserable because of how he treated you, he doesn't think you'd want to see him." Artie paused. "Guess he was right about that, Rachel he really missed you."

"He told you that?"

"I'm paraphrasing." He admitted. "Can you please think about what I said?"

"Yeah I will." She promised softly, it looks like she would finally have to see Finn Hudson if only to confirm his apparent less than pleasant state of mind. She opened the door to the auditorium banging it into someone. Kurt didn't even try to look bashful as he dusted himself off. Holding the door open she waited for Artie to wheel himself out before slipping it shut. Kurt went to say something but seemed to change him mind closing his mouth instead.

"He's probably at home." He called out having finally decided to speak.

Rachel said nothing instead following the sound of Indi's yelling.

_GLEE_

**Another week, another chapter. Hope you are all enjoying this and even if you're not, I'm having a blast writing it! Song credit goes to Simple Plan- You Don't Mean Anything To Me. **


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

**Chapter 4. **

She had been grilled by her well-meaning best friend on their way home about her chat with 'Christopher Reeves Light'; she had been cagey with her answer and had immediately taken off with Beth once they were through the door.

"I can't watch another Wiggles DVD, I had Big Red Car stuck in my head all day yesterday." Indi declared throwing the remote at the floor. "Can we take her for a walk or something?"

Rachel considered the suggestion, it was a nice evening and a long walk usually helped clear her mind.

"I think that's a great idea. I'll get her stroller together and we can leave in a few minutes."

Indi cheered and ran upstairs for her shoes, Beth watched happily as the two girls ran around laughing whenever Indi bumped into something cursed and Rachel would yell 'Language!'

"This really is Pleasantville." Indi looked over at the park, which was filled with kids running around and parents watching over them. "An ice cream van just went by!"

"I don't think they have slushie facials in an idyllic town." Rachel replied pushing the stroller, Beth was gurgling away playing with the care bear she had gotten her. This was one thing you definitely could not do in New York, walking was a way of getting somewhere not for just because.

"I still can't believe that girl Mercedes, I swear one hour with Mr Mandell and she'd be rendered mute which I think would be a blessing instead of having to put up with her attitude."

"Mercedes is actually quite talented, she has the strongest voice in the school after me. I would assume most of my solos would have fallen to her. It's no wonder she is less than thrilled by my reappearance." Rachel explained, focusing her attention on Indi and not the path in front of her. "Mr. Schue usually relegated her to long notes of wailing at the end of a number."

"The girl's a diva and not in the Divine Miss M sense of the word." Indi argued, she too was looking at Rachel and not the jogging teen who was staring at his iPod. Beth was the only one who noticed but lacked the necessary skills to point this out.

"She always resented-"

The teen who had been jogging was now partially under a stroller that was carrying a crying baby. Rachel yanked the stroller back quickly pulling Beth out quickly and singing softly to hush her.

"_Smile though your heart is aching  
Smile even though it's breaking  
When there are clouds in the sky you'll get by  
If you smile through your pain and sorrow" _

Beth settled easily, her head lolling against Rachel's shoulder, while Indi checked over the stroller and the teen for damage, in that order.

"I am so sorry, I didn't see you." Rachel apologized her eyes travelling up over the worn grey McKinley High hoodie and to the boys face. "Finn."

"Finn?" Indi's eyebrows shot up, eyes raking over the tall teen. "As in Finn 'Douchebag Extraordinaire, Asshole, Bastard of epic proportions' Finn?"

Rachel had come a long way over the last year but Indi knew that the scars from Finn Hudson still ran deep, and she had always wanted to meet the asshole that had screwed over Rachel.

"Indi, language." Rachel muttered still staring at Finn who was staring back at her.

"You're a real creep you know that?" Indi told him taking advantage of Rachel's shock. "It takes a special kind of jerk to not apologize because his insecure bitchy slut of a girlfriend told him he couldn't. Did she return your testicles when you broke up or are they still bronzed on her shelf?"

Finn managed to tear his eyes away from Rachel to look at Indi in confusion.

"What?"

"That was my fault I forget to translate into jackass: You're girlfriend was a bitch and you should have apologized to Rachel." Indi said slowly making sure to enunciate every word and roll her eyes.

"Indigo!" Rachel all but screeched cheeks flamed in embarrassment.

"It's the truth!"

"Who are you?" Finn asked, obviously he had not been paying attention to the gossip mill at McKinley this week.

"Indigo Davis. I'm Rachel's best friend and you are public enemy number one as far as I'm concerned." Indi introduced herself smirking. "Come on Rachel let's go."

Her conversation with Artie still fresh in her mind Rachel resisted Indi's attempts to pull her away.

"Go on ahead with Beth, I need to speak with Finn for a moment."

"You don't owe him anything." Indi reminded her taking Beth and placing her back in the stroller carefully.

"I know, I have to do this for me." Rachel told her. "I love you for caring but I'll be fine."

"Okay but remember to bend with your knees."

"I will." Rachel laughed softly, she highly doubted she would need to use any of her fighting moves on Finn. She stared at Indi's back pushing Beth along until they were around the corner and her eyes were forced to return to Finn.

"I didn't recognize you."

His hair was longer than she remembered and he had definitely lost weight, his face looked sunken and if she was honest he really did look every bit as terrible as the trio of boys had suggested. In the face of such sadness she couldn't bring herself to use the attitude she had adopted with the other glee clubbers.

"I wasn't paying attention." He mumbled waving his iPod slightly. "Sorry."

"It was an accident and no one was hurt." She replied, now she knew what awkward small talk really was.

"Whose baby was that?" It blurted out of his mouth without a thought, anything really to keep the conversation going.

Rachel's face hardened, Beth was always going to be a sensitive subject to her.

"My sister, Beth." She answered evenly not offering any more information. Finn reached forward and grasped her arm softly.

"I'm really glad you're back. Everything sucked after you left."

Rachel yanked her arm away and bit her lip not sure how exactly she was supposed to respond. Finn kicked at the ground hoping she would say something, anything.

"So I've heard. Though I don't know why everyone thinks that it is my duty to fix that, I was merely doing what I was ordered to do. What you wanted."

So maybe her attitude had crept back in a little.

"I was an idiot."

"I wholeheartedly concur." Rachel muttered staring at the ground. "I have to get back to Beth."

"Rachel wait." Finn's voice was filled with earnestness; it stopped her in her tracks. "There are things I need to tell you, things you should know."

"You've had a year to tell me things Finn. To pick up a phone, write a letter, e-mail. I understand people still train carrier pigeons and you can even arrange singing telegrams. Obviously whatever needs to be said can't be that important, it's not imperative for me to live so I think I'll pass on that conversation."

"I didn't think you'd listen!" He called after her. She didn't want to prove him right so she slowed her steps. Taking that as permission to continue he took a step towards her. "I should have broken up with Quinn the second I realized I liked you. But I'm an idiot so I stayed with her, and she and Puck were always pressuring me about stepping up and being a man with the baby. When Jacob posted that article it was like everything became real, I couldn't handle it and I took it out on you. I wanted to apologize right away but Quinn went off at me about being the kind of guy that cheats and is a deadbeat dad and I didn't want that."

"How exactly is apologizing for jumping to conclusions and basically calling me a pathetic person cheating?" Rachel asked turning to face him.

"I don't know but at the time I listened to her." Finn scratched his neck, which meant he was nervous she remembered. "Puck finally confessed that it was his baby and I just snapped. Quinn was going to let me ruin my life for her, for a baby that wasn't even mine! She was going to let me be miserable because she didn't want to be alone. She was with Puck because she was jealous of you! She knew I was falling for you."

"I know all of this, Kurt, Puck and Artie have all told me this story." Rachel said suddenly tired, this was far too draining a conversation to be having right now.

"That's because when I was yelling at them, the thing I was most angry about was you. Because of their lies and my stupidity based on those lies, you left. The one good thing in my life was gone and because of them I had ruined it."

"This all happened months ago! Why should I even care?" She challenged needing a new answer.

"Because my life has been miserable without you. Since I found out I've been so depressed, I was so angry at them for lying. And I was hurt about the baby but kind of relieved too. And I needed to talk about it with someone. I needed you. You're the only one I can talk to about anything, you listen and you don't make me feel like an idiot." He smiled slightly, his dimples making the smallest of appearances. "When I heard you were back I was so happy and then I freaked out. I figured you wouldn't want anything to do with me, so I avoided you when all I've wanted to do was talk to you."

"Well now you've talked to me." Rachel stated. "Is everything fine now?"

"No but just knowing you're here helps." He answered honestly.

"Let me make one thing clear to you." Rachel said slowly. "I'm here in this town but I am in no way here for you. You broke me last year, you and that glee club who never accepted me. As far as I'm concerned you are as bad as Puck and Quinn. They lied to you and hurt you. What makes you think you are any better?"

Finn was silent and Rachel took advantage of that to make her escape, tears sprung to her eyes and she wiped them away hastily. She had wanted to feel nothing but white-hot hatred for Finn, to see him and not have her whole body hum. He still got to her; she wasn't going to let him know that though.

_GLEE_

Through a series of bribes, threats and outright blackmail Rachel had shown up to each glee rehearsal and it was obvious she would rather be anywhere else.

"Does anyone have a suggestion?" Mr. Schuester asked exasperated, the kids were all fairly quiet the only one who showed any sign of life was Rachel and she was texting on her phone and not paying any attention to either him or the

club.

"I have one Mr. Schuester." Finn spoke up. Now everyone looked alive, Finn hadn't voluntarily sang in glee club for months, spending most of his time in the back singing along quietly if at all.

"That's great! The floor is yours." Mr. Schuester gestured climbing the risers and taking an empty seat in the middle.

"Who are you texting?" Indi asked peering over Rachel's shoulder, Finn was still getting ready so she wasn't being rude. Not that she cared really.

"None of your business." Rachel replied shoving her phone in her bag. Trying to surprise Indi was like trying to surprise a psychic, impossible.

"You know I'll find out sooner or later." She teased trying to tickler Rachel.

"My lips are sealed." She pantomimed zipping her lips closed, besides she'd only be keeping this secret for another few minutes she couldn't crack now.

"So this week we were supposed to pick a song that expresses how we feel about another person in this group." Finn began glancing around the room.

"Do you think Mr. Schue would let me get away with singing _You're going to die alone_?"

"I think if you don't want people to know who your father is you should stop singing his songs." Rachel whispered back although silently giggling at the image.

"I think we all know who I'm singing about."

He actually managed to lock eyes with her then the corners of his mouth pulling into a smile. She'd always loved his goofy half smile that she couldn't help but return.

"_They said love hurts  
I wrote that book  
I climbed that wall  
I had one look  
but you just came around  
to say hello."_

Brad was the only one accompanying him; Finn was sitting on a stool and only looking at her even if she was fighting to not keep eye contact.

"_The streets were filled  
with guilty hearts  
and here was I right from the start  
and I lost everything  
when I lost you"_

Indi kept elbowing her; she wasn't going to fall to mush just because he was singing to her; serenading her with a really sweet song.

"_So tell me why  
should I let you go.  
Give me twenty good reasons  
I need to know yeah"_

Okay so not only now was Finn serenading her but Puck, Kurt and Artie were all staring at her without any subtlety at all.

"_And at that point  
there was no pain  
there was no sky  
there was no rainfall  
all there was  
was you  
and your sweet face._

_But life is life  
and things will change  
like scenes upon an actor's stage.  
Tomorrow comes today  
for all we know."_

Great, now it was everyone that was staring at her; Santana was even pointing and laughing about something with Brittany.

"_So tell me baby why  
should I let you go  
give me twenty good reasons  
I need to know  
give me twenty good reasons  
give me twenty good reasons  
give me twenty good reasons  
to let you go."_

Oh god, his eyes had finally latched onto hers and it was making it hard to breathe. She was strangling Indi's hand with her own and fighting the urge to run.

"_so tell me baby why  
should I let you go?  
give me twenty good reasons  
I need to know, yeah_

_tell me baby why  
should I let you go?  
give me twenty good reasons  
I need to know.  
give me twenty good reasons  
give me twenty good reasons  
I need to know yeah.  
Give me twenty good reasons  
give me twenty good reasons  
give me twenty good reasons."_

Artie started the applause whooping loudly for his friend, the girls who hated her gave polite claps and glared at her, how awesome.

"Thanks." Finn mumbled shuffling back to his seat no longer staring at her.

"_I DON'T WANT TO BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO BE LATELY!" _

Saved by the bell, Rachel sent a quick thanks to whoever had saved her yanking the phone from the depths of her bag. Everyone was staring at her probably wondering who the hell would be calling her and how she knew a song that had never been featured in a musical.

"Hello?"

To everyone's disappointment she stepped outside to take the phone call.

"I can barely hear you!" She shouted into the phone, all she could hear was static.

"I said this school is really hard to navigate." Jackson repeated reaching over and snapping Rachel's phone shut. "Hey Ohio."

Rachel jumped; almost literally he was a lot taller than her, into his arms hugging him. Jackson returned the hug lifting her up.

"I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow?" She exclaimed still folded up in his arms.

"I had to hedge my bets in case you told Indi." Jackson explained, "So this is the choir room right?"

Without letting her go he kicked the door open as always having to make the rock star entrance.

"Jackson put me down!"

Indi's eyes widened, so much for no one working out her lineage, somehow hiding that her brother was Jackson Davis would be hard when he was standing in front of twelve people, granted they were twelve incredibly stupid people.

"Is that Jackson Davis?"

"Hey Jacks." Indi greeted still happy to see her brother even under the circumstances, he put Rachel down and barrelled her into a bear hug.

"How does man hands know Jackson Davis?" Quinn asked Mercedes not even bothering to lower her voice.

"Sorry for the intrusion Mr Schuester, Jackson wasn't meant to be here until tomorrow." Rachel apologized.

"No problem Rachel, I had no idea Indigo was-"

"The daughter of Ditch Davis and sister of Jackson Davis?" Indi interrupted rolling her eyes. "Yeah I try not tell people, they always act weird around me once they know."

"I'd really appreciate it if you guys could keep this a secret, I just want to visit with Indi and Ohio here before I have to head back to the studio." Jackson asked turning on the charm and smiling at everyone. Indi glared at Santana who was attempting eye sex with her brother; even he had better taste than that.

"Of course." Mr Schuester answered for all of them. "We've only got a little while left would you like to join us?"

"Sure, I love watching my girls perform." Jackson winked at Rachel, she resisted the urge to elbow him, she thought he'd been kidding about flirting with her to make Finn jealous.

"Your girls?" Santana snickered. "How can a hot slice like you be turned on by a drag queen like Berry?"

"Santana we talked about this." Mr Schuester warned, not that it did much. "So who's next? Puck? Kurt?"

Both boys shook their heads, no one really wanted to screw up in front of the guy who had just won best male artist at the Grammy awards.

"Anybody? Rachel?"

"Since everyone else is obviously too intimidated by Jackson I guess I'll have to perform."

Rachel couldn't help letting a little bit of her old attitude seep in, it was a defence mechanism now that everyone knew about Indi they would be trying to be all buddy-buddy.

"Actually I'll need a little help on this one. Guys?"

Jackson and Indi got up and moved to Rachel, huddling while she whispered, of course now would be the one time the usually loud girl was able to be quiet.

"I'd like to dedicate this to the one decent person in this group, a person that if you guys aren't careful you will run them out just like you did to me." Rachel looked over at Artie and shot him a wink which caused the tips of his ears to go red. "It's not how I feel about this person but how I think we both have been made to feel by certain people."

"This is actually a song Rach inspired me to write after she told me about you guys so I guess it's only fitting that you get to hear it." Jackson told them sending poisonous looks to the group, he'd had to be talked out of ordering a hit on some of these kids, after Indi had adopted Rachel he'd taken her on as a little sister.

"_There once was a wrong, thought it was right_

_There once was a truth that thought it could lie_

_Then they saw_

_They were nothing new at all."_

Rachel closed her eyes swaying slightly, she'd loved this song ever since Jackson had written it, he had refused to put it on the new album saying it was hers.

"_After the storm, along came the landslide_

_Would they climb? Would they swim? Time to decide_

_If I had to choose_

_I know what I'd do."_

Opening her eyes she walked slowly towards Artie taking a seat on his lap and slinging an arm around his neck.

"_You wanted me to be a mountain_

_I'd rather be a river_

_Water flow can wash a hill away_

_You wanted me to fly_

_I want to get high_

_How else am I gonna see what I want to see?"_

Ruffling his hair she stood up and walked over to Jackson who was playing the piano with ease, Brad looked slightly put out to not be the one tinkling with the keys. Sitting next to him they sang together, like they had dozens of times before.

"_I am for now, you are forever_

_And behind the rust is buried treasure_

_Is it gold?_

_Is it something we can hold?"_

If she closed her eyes again she could almost pretend they were back in New York just messing around in Jackson's studio.

"_All will come and go (all will come and go)_

_All will come and go (like a river flow)_

_I always knew_

_What I had to do_

_You wanted me to be a mountain_

_I'd rather be a river_

_Water flow can wash a hill away_

_You wanted me to fly_

_I want to get high_

_How else am I gonna see what I want to see?"_

It didn't work, the second she opened her eyes she was back in that tiny choir room with roughly ten very pissed off people glaring at her.

"_I always knew_

_There was rust between the truth_

_I always knew_

_What I had to do_

_You wanted me to be a mountain_

_I'd rather be a river_

_Water flow can wash a hill away_

_You wanted me to fly_

_I want to get high_

_How else am I gonna see what I want to see?_

_(You want me to be a mountain)_

_You want me to be a river_

_Water flow can wash that hill_

_Wash it away, wash it away_

_(You wanted me to fly)_

_Ooh, you wanted me to fly_

_How else am I gonna see what I want to see?"_

Jackson showed off by playing a big finish, if Indi were in a better mood she would have challenged him with a drum solo but she could tell Rachel was dying to get out there.

"I hope that was okay Mr. Schuester."

"It was amazing, thank you so much for playing for us Jackson." Mr. Schuester shook his hand a little too enthusiastically and for a little too long but Jackson was a trooper and held in there, pun intended.

"We should get going." Indi decided, apparently Santana had not gotten the hint that she would rip out her fake hair if she came near her brother. "Did you bring Josef?"

"Had to, Mark wouldn't let me visit unless he came with."

"Great." Indi smiled devilishly. "Can you bring him in?"

Even Puck seemed to pale when the Arnold Schwarzenegger-like black shirt and pants clad man stepped into the room, he had to duck just to enter.

"This is Josef, if any of you spill the beans about Jackson he will come for you and no one will ever find the bodies." Indi locked eyes with each glee clubber making sure her words landed. "Have a great night!"

"Damn Berry, you finally found a chick who's even crazier than you." Puck grumbled once Indi had stepped out with Josef and Jackson leaving Rachel to grab their bags.

"She wasn't kidding." Rachel replied resisting her instinct to smirk at him. "He's done worse to people for less."

Artie wheeled over to her and took the bags off her sticking them on his lap.

"Thank you." He said softly ignoring the group's not at all quiet conversation. "It really means a lot to me."

"You're welcome." She replied steering them towards the door. "Would you like to join us tonight? We're probably just going to spend our evening at my house catching up, jamming a little."

"Did Rachel Berry just say jamming?"

"You pick up a few things in New York." Rachel giggled. "You never know, you could end up with a co-writing credit on his new album."

"Just because you managed to fool some rich bitch into liking you and suddenly have a celebrity connection doesn't mean we're going to like you, or even be nice to you." Santana called out.

"And here I thought such a lecherous group would be salivating at the thought of getting close to a grammy winner." She shot back. "I'm sick of repeating myself but apparently your puny little brains are unable to comprehend even the most simple sentences. I do not care what you think, I do not care about how you feel. I do not care what you think or feel about me because honestly the opinions of a whole bunch of people who peaked in high school and will spend the rest of their lives thinking about the good old days when they were popular just don't matter to me."

"Oh snap." Artie mumbled from beside her, the group did not appreciate it one bit.

"Santana you are a mean bitch, the only reason people speak to you is so they can sleep with you which is hardly a challenge or because they are terrified of whatever vicious thing you might do to them. Quinn, you call yourself a Christian, tell me where in the bible does it say that you should bully people? Where does it say that you should act superior to all those around you when in fact you are the living embodiment of a high school cliché?"

"Is that all you got white girl?"

"No, I'm just getting started. Dial down the attitude Mercedes, you're not from the block in fact you wouldn't last thirty seconds there. You think I'm selfish for wanting solos when you are guilty of the exact same thing, the difference is I actually worked hard and earned those solos which is something no one here can say. And Kurt, the perpetually tortured victim, there are two types of bullies; those who feel better by tearing other people down and those who were once bullied and gain satisfaction from no longer being the loser. Congratulations on being both."

"Mr. Schue aren't you going to stop her?" Tina asked shocked at what he was letting Rachel get away with saying.

"What's he going to do? Send me to Figgins for telling the truth?" Rachel spat out. "He can't, he never once stopped any of you from tearing me down, it would be hypocritical of him to stop me. So where was I? Puck, I honestly have nothing to say to you, I'm pretty sure fornicating with your best friend's girl and letting him carry the burden says all there is to know about you."

Despite himself Puck managed a smirk at Rachel, her fire was most definitely in full force, it was actually kind of beautiful to watch.

"Oh and Finn, how could I forget the most pious of them all. He who hates Quinn for cheating when he kissed me numerous times while he was with her, he who pretended to be interested in me so he could secure himself a scholarship and of course, he who blamed me for Jacob telling everyone Quinn's secret. What was it you called me? Pathetic? A loser? I'd look in the mirror because right now you are pathetic."

"Okay you've said your piece, we're all evil and you're innocent." Mercedes said rolling her eyes. "If we're so bad why are you even here?"

"It's not by choice." She retorted. "I was perfectly happy in New York, far away from you people but hey at least now that I'm back I can watch as karma bites each and every one of you on the butt."

"Prepare for yet another Rachel Berry storm out." Santana mocked, it was apt her fake breasts covered where her heart should be, a fake chest for a fake heart.

"Call it what you want but yes I am leaving. I have to go spend time with people who appreciate who I am and aren't intimidated or jealous of it. They are completely and totally secure in themselves."

Rachel turned towards the door, Artie maneuvering himself to follow.

"You're not seriously going with her are you Artie?"

"Oh now you all want to talk to me?" He scoffed. "Apart from Finn none of you have even so much as bothered to look at me since school started so yeah I'm going with her because at least she treats me like a human being. Sorry Finn, I'll text you later."

Finn nodded awkwardly at his friend, he could hardly blame him since he was going where he so desperately wanted to be.

"Who does that troll think she is?" Quinn snapped. "I can't believe you didn't stop her Mr. Schuester, you're supposed to be our teacher."

"I hardly think she said anything that was out of line." He told them honestly. "I've been guilty of turning a blind eye to the abuse she received from you all. I failed her as a teacher and if I continue to let you act as you have I will have failed you all as well. Rather than get indignant and self righteous I think you should all go home and take a good hard look at yourselves and the way you have treated your fellow students. You're all dismissed."

Finn hung back letting the group leave, they were still indignant despite their teachers words.

"I think you're right and I need your advice." Finn bit his lip, he couldn't believe he was going to his recently divorced teacher for romantic advice. "I want to show Rachel how sorry I am, show her that I'm sorry and I care about her."

"And you're coming to me? Not that I'm not glad you did but you must be really scrapping the bottom of the barrel huh?" Mr. Schuester laughed ruefully.

"I don't have anyone else to ask and I really need the help, I screwed up bad. She hates me."

"Well then lets start brainstorming." Mr. Schuester beckoned his student forward and started laying out suggestions; all things he himself had ever considered a romantic display.

_GLEE_

**Hey guys, hope you enjoy this super-sized update. Sadly it comes with a price; I'm an Australian and my poor Queensland neighbours are having a horrible time; they've just started to rebuild after devastating floods and now have to prepare themselves for the worst cyclone in Australia's history. If you can help in anyway please do!**

**Song used in this chapter don't belong to me but they do belong to these talented gents:**

**20 Good Reasons – Thirsty Merc**

**Mountain – Chocolate Starfish**

**Plus blink and you'll miss it appearances by I Don't Want To Be – Gavin DeGraw and Smile – Marcel Marceau. **


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

**Chapter 5. **

_GLEE_

Artie had never actually been in Rachel's house and now he never wanted to leave. They were loaded, her house was insane. The weekend had been spent hanging out with Jackson and Indi who was far less psychotic than he had originally thought, she was just loyal. Right now they were in the basement which wasn't like any basement he had ever seen. For one thing the room was soundproofed, there was a small stage on one wall with the best music set up he had ever seen, hardwood floors with a ballet bar against another wall and a massive flat screen with just about every electronic hook up he could imagine. He'd asked how the hell they could afford all this; apparently the perks of being the daughter of a numerous Car Dealerships and a surgeon were pretty awesome.

"Come on Artie back me up here man!" Jackson laughed from his spot sprawled across the floor.

"I'm sorry what are we talking about?" Artie apologized, he'd zoned out. Indi poked her tongue out and flung a celery stick at him; it wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't spooned an entire jar of peanut butter on it.

"Excuse their childish behavior." Rachel told him rolling her eyes. "Jackson was trying to persuade us to engage in some very immature antics."

"It's a rite of passage Ohio!" Jackson protested. "Every kid makes a crank call!"

"You've never made a prank phone call?" Artie double checked. "I'm with Jackson we've got to fix that!"

"That's ridiculous! Who would I call? What would I even say?"

"You could call Santana and ask if her legs are closed for business since it's a Sunday." Indi snickered. If Artie had kept a count this would be at least the twentieth time she had insulted the Latina.

"Indi! No matter how deplorable I find her I will not say such horrid things!" Rachel shrieked.

"I got one." Artie offered up. "Call Puck, tell him you want him for sex and give him an address."

"What's the address for the local police station?" Jackson asked pulling out his iPhone, Indi was already reaching for the house phone and copying the number over from Artie's.

"Guys, I can't do this. It's positively juvenile!" Rachel protested, Indi had put the phone on speaker and everyone was trying to smother their laughter.

"'lo?"

Rachel wrinkled her nose at his poor excuse for phone manners. Indi was signaling for her to talk, she put on her best attempt at a spanish accent.

"Hi Puck." She purred into the phone telling herself this was just a role she was performing. "I was thinking of doing something tonight since I'm here all alone."

"And what would that something be?"

"You."

All four could hear Puck's sharp intake of breath, Indi was shaking with pent up laughter and Artie was holding an arm to his mouth to smother his own laughter.

"My address is 6 Peyton Way, if you don't get here soon I'm starting without you."

Rachel hit the disconnect button and shuddered.

"That was awesome!" Jackson praised. "Too bad we can't see his face when he realizes it was a prank."

"Don't even think about it Indi." Rachel warned snatching her car keys away from her friend. "I gave into your peer pressure and that's the end of it."

"Lighten up Ohio, by this time tomorrow I'll be back in New York and you'll have only Barney here to corrupt you."

Artie wheeled himself out of the way as Indi lunged at her brother; he actually thought Jackson nickname for his sister was funny but he wasn't about to admit that.

"You're such an ass! It's not my fault our father had to name me after my 'like totally purple aura.' Idiot." Indi grouched.

"Hey you got off easy, I'm named after the place I was conceived!"

"I can see why you didn't want to come back." Artie told Rachel. "These two are quite entertaining."

"Entertaining? Just wait till you see these two with Carver!" Jackson snorted; he hardly seemed like a famous rock musician when he was sprawled out on the floor with popcorn stuck in his hair.

"Oh he will, Carver's coming down for Christmas break. Apparently he doesn't trust Rachel not to undo all of his good work with her wardrobe." Indi giggled. "And he really wants to see someone tip a cow."

"Don't worry man you'll love him. When you meet him you have to ask him about what happened with Rachel, Indi and the duck."

"Hey I believe we all agreed to never speak of that again!" Rachel snapped reaching over and pinching Jackson. "And you're not one to talk Mr. Lola!"

"Mr. Lola?"

"You ever hear that song by The Kinks?" Indi asked. "Let's just say Jackson should be more careful about letting girls backstage at his concert; they may have more equipment than he expected!"

"That was one time!" Jackson mumbled. "And that story does not leave this basement! Don't make me sic Josef on you!"

"My lips are sealed." Artie promised; he'd listened to Indi's stories about Josef on friday, they had sufficiently scared him to the point of not even telling his parents that Rachel was harboring a celebrity in her house.

"You're alright McQueen."

"At least it's better than wheels." Artie mumbled to himself fishing out his phone. "I should probably go, I promised a friend I'd help him with his math homework."

"You can say his name you know, I'm not going to freak out." Rachel smiled.

"Thanks for this weekend, I really needed this."

Rachel plopped a kiss on his cheek.

"You're welcome, come over anytime."

"Yeah, I'm entrusting the well-being of my two girls here to you." Jackson told him slapping their palms together. "This is my number, I want you to call me if anything happens."

"No problem man." Artie whispered wheeling himself over to the stairs where Jackson scooped him up and Rachel grabbed his chair following them up.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Ok so maybe there are some decent people in this town." Indi proclaimed slinging an arm around Rachel's shoulder. "You want to go and jam with Jacks for a while?"

"No actually I think I'm just going to go upstairs and write a little. Give you two some time alone." Rachel decided, it had been mandatory to keep a journal at LaGuardia and she hadn't given it up since her move back, there was something satisfying about writing all your feelings down. She'd even begun writing lyrics; she had almost completed the song she had been working on for months and she was feeling inspired.

"Okay, don't spend too long scribbling away though, you know I might end up killing Jacks if left alone with him for too long." Indi said, it was an empty threat though, she loved her brother too much to ever kill him.

"That's if he doesn't smother you first." Rachel teased back dragging herself to the stairs. "Go, have fun, don't kill each other."

"I make no promises." Indi backed away holding her hands up as though in surrender.

Rachel couldn't help but giggle to herself; she knew that despite her constant complaining Indi really did love her brother and missed him more than she let on. She was sad to see her surrogate big brother leave but at least she wouldn't have to worry about finding Santana Lopez creeping in through her window in the hopes of getting in Jackson's pants.

_GLEE_

The divide in the glee club had never been more noticeable, Rachel, Indi and Artie were all in the front now closest to the band, Finn was sitting behind them staring at Rachel's head like it was playing the Superbowl. Kurt and the rest of the glee girls were on the opposite end of the room, the three cheerios in the back row, Kurt, Mercedes and Tina in the row in front. Mike and Puck sat in the middle although Tina had clamped onto Mike and pulled his chair so that it was closer to 'their' side; it was all incredibly grade school and Mr. Schuester did not like it.

"Okay guys I think you'll all be excited to hear that it is time for our annual boys versus girls challenge!"

Huh, there never are tumble weeds around to fly past you when you need them.

"Mr. Schue there's seven girls well eight if you count Kurt and only four of us guys." Puck pointed out. "The Y chromosome is kind of outnumbered."

"Well I've already taken that into account and have decided that one girl will aid the boys this year." He explained refraining from sending a sly wink to Finn; this was all part of the plan.

"They should take Rachel, we all know she was born with male genitalia how else would you explain her hands?" Santana suggested smirking at the petite brunette.

"And I was going to volunteer you since out of everyone here you have the most experience being around five guys at once. But you know this time you'd have to keep your legs closed." Indi shot back wincing at Rachel who had kicked her.

"That's enough!" Mr. Schue yelled trying to be heard over the group. "The next person who insults another member of this group will be on suspension. I'm sick of it and I will not tolerate it anymore. If you want your shot at a solo for sectionals I'd think twice before speaking."

"How are we going to decide on the girl?" Artie asked trying to steer the conversation away from insults and back to music. Mr. Schue produced a hat from behind the piano and shook it slightly.

"I've placed every girl's name in this hat, the name I pull out will work with the boys." Mr. Schue shook it once more for good measure before reaching in and pulling out a scrap of paper. "Rachel, looks like its up to you to tame the boys this week."

"Mr. Schue you can't honestly expect to work with these miscreants!" Rachel protested. "Not including you Artie."

"Out in the real world you will have to work with people you don't like all the time; think of this as a learning experience." He replied waving her off. "Okay girls you stay here and brainstorm and the guys plus Rachel can take the auditorium. You'll perform on friday and Ms Pillsbury will decide the winner of the mystery prize."

"Indi play nice." Rachel warned picking up her things, Indi smiled like a cheshire cat and gazed over at the girls.

"I'm always nice."

"Amanda Taylor and her bald head beg to differ." Rachel retorted.

"She had that coming, and it grew back!" Indi paused. "Eventually!"

Rachel just sent Indi a look following the boys out of the choir room; no good would come of this.

"It wont be that bad." Artie promised, he was having to push fast just to keep up with Rachel who was stalking hurriedly to the auditorium, it didn't take a genius to work out how much she hated this.

The boys had dumped their bags on the stage and had spread themselves out lounging on the floor. Rachel pulled the piano seat out and sat on that smoothing her skirt across her thighs.

"Lets get started." Kurt said taking charge. "First we'll need to pick a genre of song; should it be a six part harmony, a mash-up."

"Hummel chill out, we've got Berry she's probably already got a song, costumes and choreography all worked out." Puck interrupted sending Rachel a sly smile that would have had Santana already on her knees.

"No I haven't, I don't even want to be here remember?"

"Just ignore him, it's what everyone else does." Mike murmured to Rachel; he wasn't exactly on board with his girlfriend and her friends vendetta against the brunette.

"You say something Chang?"

"Is this what it was like last year?" Rachel asked Artie; and she thought working with the girls had been painful.

"Pretty much." He answered. "Does anyone have any suggestions at all?"

"We have to do something the girls wont expect." Kurt put forth.

"So what sing girl songs?" Puck sniggered. "No way."

"I've got a better idea." Finn spoke up. "Artie and Puck can play guitar, I play drums and Rach-"

"I can play piano, guitar and I'm learning bass."

"Damn, that's hot." Puck whistled.

"It's a requirement to learn an instrument at LaGuardia." Rachel explained though she had no idea why she felt the need to. "So you want us to perform as a band?"

"Exactly." Finn beamed at Rachel who worked at not meeting his eyes.

"What about me and Kurt?" Mike spoke up.

"Well I play piano." Kurt offered up. "And I'm sure you could handle a tambourine."

"That doesn't solve the problem of the song."

"Well after the way Rachel rocked that Ditch Davis song I think we definitely have to do rock." Artie suggested pumping his fist to Rachel's.

"You got any rock left in you Berry?" Puck challenged.

"I can handle anything, Artie remember that song we played on Saturday?"

Artie nodded wheeling around to get his guitar to accompany Rachel while she breathed deeply a few times before nodding for him to start. She smiled saucily before sauntering across the stage.

"_Well you're a real tough cookie with a long history  
__Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me  
That's O.K., lets see how you do it  
Put up your dukes, lets get down to it!  
Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Why Don't You Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Fire Away!__"_

She turned to Artie and nodded slightly clapping in time to the beat.

"_You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair  
__But that's O.K., see if I care!  
Knock me down, it's all in vain  
I'll get right back on my feet again!"_

Artie wheeled right to her fixing himself with a pleading look imitating how he had seen Jackson performing on Saturday night after describing how hard it had been to get Rachel to see a musical without original music.

"_Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
__Why Don't You Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Fire Away!"_

She pushed Artie's wheelchair away from her breaking into the dance she had memorized after seeing the musical for the third time.

"_Well you're the real tough cookie with the long history  
__Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me  
Before I put another notch in my lipstick case  
You better make sure you put me in my place__"_

She didn't have to look at the four boys to know they were completely enraptured in her performance with Artie; she certainly was a different Rachel Berry.

"_Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
__Come On, Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Fire Away!_

_Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
__Why Don't You Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Hit Me With Your Best Shot!  
Fire Away!__"_

Rachel sang the last line raising her hands above her head and putting her all into it. Mike clapped for them heartily slapping his palm to Artie's.

"Whoa where the hell did that come from Berry?"

"_Rock Of Ages_, debuted on Broadway in 2009 and subsequently nominated for five Tony awards." She recited from memory. "Jackson took me, it was amazing."

Finn's face hardened slightly at the singer's name but pushed it away; the last thing he needed was to get all jealous when he didn't even know if they were dating.

"No that was amazing." Finn corrected her with a small grin.

"Thank you." Rachel said softly. "And thank you for the back up Artie."

"You're welcome, sorry I couldn't break into the dance like Jackson did." Artie blushed. "Boy can move that's for sure."

"As he is sure to remind you at every available moment." She added dryly; Jackson was definitely not lacking in self-confidence, that's for sure.

"You got any other songs hidden up your sleeve?" Mike asked smiling warmly.

"Maybe a few, what about you Kurt? You're usually so full of criticism." Rachel said pointedly, her words dripping in sarcasm.

"It was well done." Kurt answered, it was obvious he was loathe to admit it. "Although hardly appropriate for our boys versus girls competition."

"You're just jealous that Berry's rubbing shoulders with your wet dream." Puck sneered. Kurt beyond used to the kind of lewd remarks that came from Puck just rolled his eyes.

"Must you be so vulgar?" Rachel asked Puck her nose wrinkling in distaste.

"Puck don't." Finn said sharply cutting him off before he aggravated her even more. "I actually have a few ideas."

"Well that's a first for a long while." Kurt mumbled sourly; he was still annoyed he couldn't work with the girls.

"Anyway as I was saying." Finn continued, shooting a warning look to the shorter boy. "I've been listening to this song and I think if we sing it we could definitely win."

"As much as I'm just dying to hear this lyrical masterpiece I've got plans of the physical variety with Quinn." Puck wiggled his eyebrows, he actually looked proud that he had just repulsed them.

"Please Quinn told me she's barely let you even run to second." Kurt snorted.

"That's why I've got wine coolers in my truck powderpuff."

"I've got to meet up with Tina." Mike said regretfully also getting up.

"Mercedes and I are shopping for new belts."

"I guess that leaves us three." Artie noted, the other three had left remarkably quickly. "We can still work on the song without them just not here. The band locks the instruments away at three."

"I have to look after Beth." Rachel sighed. "If you don't mind we can work at my house, I'm sure Indi wont mind keeping an eye on her while we work."

"Great, how's five?" Finn asked eagerly, now all he had to do was convince Artie not to show up and he could be alone with Rachel.

"Acceptable, I expect you shall both be on time?"

"Of course." Artie promised speaking for the both of them, she always had been a tyrant for punctuality. Rachel nodded to them a goodbye her mind running over all that she would have to do to prepare her house for guests; first and foremost talk to Indi and make sure she didn't try to slit Finn's throat with blunt pruning shears.

_GLEE_

**Hello my beautiful readers; Kudos to Pat Benatar for the rocking song Hit Me With Your Best Shot. **

**Anyone else excited yet terrified for tomorrow's glee ep? I honestly dry reach at the idea of Finn and Quinn but I must have faith in Murphy. Besides keeping Finchel together all the time would get boring since they are only in High School and it is completely unrealistic that they would never fight or break up. **

**In other news check out the glee/psych crossover page for my one shot that combines our favorite fake psychic Shawn Spencer, the delectable pharmaceutical rep Gus and New Directions!**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

**Chapter 5. **

_GLEE_

Indi bit her tongue feeding Beth something that smelt like she had already digested it while Rachel set everything up in the basement; she was pretty sure the entire contents of the refrigerator were now spread out downstairs.

"Why are you going to so much trouble for these morons anyway?"

"A good hostess is always a good hostess regardless of their guests." Rachel replied smoothing her hair down.

She'd changed out of her school clothes into a more comfortable outfit suited to working out choreography; Carver had of course put it together having been inspired after their marathon of truly terrible musicals they couldn't help but enjoy. Green army style shorts that were as tiny as the skirts she loved to wear and a white singlet with 'Dancing through life' printed across the bust, a sheer white blouse over the top and knotted at her navel.

"You invited a pig over and you haven't even set out a trough; that's not good hostessing if you ask me."

"No one did!" Rachel called back over her shoulder. "I have to work with him on this project, I will be cordial and polite but it is no way an olive branch of friendship or an invitation for something more."

"Does he know that?" Indi asked pulling faces at Beth who was lapping up all the attention.

"I'm sure he sees this as an opportunity to earn my forgiveness but it will be as fruitless as all his other endeavors will be. To earn my forgiveness he would have to do something truly remarkable and the Finn that I remember was always far too concerned with his social standing to attempt anything even minutely close to what I am imagining."

"Are we talking Ferris on the float kind of big or the standard jewelry big?" Indi checked, it was up to her to ensure that the big doofus didn't break Rachel's heart again; Carver had made her sign a contract and everything.

"Not even a star shaped diamond would be enough." Rachel told her reaching over to squeeze her hand. "I can handle this Indi, I'm not the same girl you meet in that dorm room."

"You may be stronger and more musically diverse but we both know that Finn Hudson still makes your heart go pitter pat." Indi teased. "And from everything I've heard you make his heart do the macarena"

"I'm strong enough to ignore those feelings." Rachel said confidently. "I know where they lead and it is to nowhere I would like to visit ever again."

The door bell rang before Indi could reply which was probably a good thing, she wasn't so crash hot on that think first thing, most of her afternoon had consisted of the girls fighting over what songs to sing, who would be lead and who would be back up. When they weren't arguing about that, they were attempting to extract information about her brother or insulting Rachel and her. Her New York acid tongue had been put to what she considered good use.

"Where's McQueen?" Indi asked noticing that only the freakishly tall male was with Rachel.

"He text me before he's got an appointment with his physical therapist." Finn answered. "So it's just me."

"How convenient." She said dryly fixing Rachel with a look, so not a coincidence, she'd be having a little chat with Artie tomorrow.

"We'll be downstairs working on our glee assignment. Dad isn't due home until late and Papa is still away for another week, will you be okay up here alone with Beth?"

"Piece of cake, you guys should get started we wouldn't want Finn to be here all night." Indi looked at him pointedly, she was quite proud of herself having refrained from miming that she was going to kill him. The door clicked shut behind them and all she could now hear was the TV and her guilty pleasure _True Beauty_, we all had our vices she only hoped that Rachel was able to handle hers.

_GLEE_

Finn looked around the basement, Artie hadn't been kidding about the set up he was ready to set up camp and live in this basement it's close proximity to Rachel one of its major appeals.

"So have you brought along the sheet music for the song you were thinking of?"

She was all business, he needed to stay all business too hopefully she would let her guard down enough that he could actually talk to her.

"Yeah, so it's a Beatles song but I was looking on YouTube and I found this awesome version of it." Finn explained, he wasn't exactly lying he had found this version on YouTube after his mum had told him about it first. "I've got the lyrics here, how about you play the piano and I'll sing and then we can work out the pitch and stuff?"

Rachel smiled glad that Finn was keeping his attention on the work at hand, she accepted the piano music from him her eyes scanning the notes they seemed familiar but Finn had neglected to print the song title at the top of the sheet.

"_When I was younger,  
So much younger than today  
I never needed anybody's  
Help in any way  
But now those days are gone  
I'm not so self assured  
Now I find, I've changed my mind  
I've opened up the door"_

Rachel was staring studiously at the notes, she liked the slowed down tempo of the song, it made the emotions of it that much more poignant which it dawned on her was exactly Finn's intention.

"_Help me if you can,  
I'm feeling down  
And I do, appreciate you being round  
Help me get my feet back on the ground  
Won't you please, please help me?"_

He walked towards her and plopped down next to her sharing the lyrics; he knew them anyway. Rachel pretended not to notice and continued to play keeping her head down.

"_And now my life has changed  
In oh so many ways  
My independence seems to vanish in the haze  
But every now and then  
I feel so insecure  
I know that I just need you  
Like I've never done before."_

Oh no, he was actually honest to god serenading her yet again. Using just one finger he pulled her chin up and turned her so that she was facing him. He was now straddling the piano seat and was singing a-capella. __

"_Help me if you can,  
I'm feeling down  
And I do, appreciate you being round  
Help me get my feet back on the ground  
Won't you please, please help me?"_

She wanted to look away but his eyes were like a magnet, music was her weakness and he was exploiting it perfectly. She would let him finish because she respected him as a performer but then he would surely get a blasting.

"_When I was younger,  
So much younger than today  
I never needed anybody's  
Help in any way.  
But now those days are gone  
I'm not so self assured.  
Now I find, I've changed my mind  
I've opened up the door._

_Help me if you can,  
I'm feeling down.  
And I do, appreciate you being round.  
Help me get my feet back on the ground.  
Won't you please, please help me?"_

He stepped away making to put enough distance between them should she try to punch or kick him.

"So if you like it I was thinking you could take the bridge and either Puck or Kurt could sing the first verse-"

She remained silent, he plowed on though she didn't listen; was the song he chose not meant to hold another meaning? Maybe Indi was right and she did think too much.

"Given neither Puck nor Kurt seem that interested in this assignment I think you should take the chorus, it is quite well suited to your voice." She decided breaking her silence. "I like the tempo although I think we might have a hard time convincing the others of its suitability."

"We'll win them over." Finn told her with an impish grin. "If we work it all out perfectly tonight there's no way they can say no."

"Then we should get started." Rachel turned towards the table where she had laid out pens and paper pulling them towards her.

"Before we do that I just wanted to say something."

"Finn I-"

She was cut off by his finger on her lips and a very hopeful expression on his face.

"Just let me do this please?"

She nodded completely certain that this would come back to bite her on the ass. He pulled a small box from his pocket and a rather crumpled card.

"I know it's late but Happy Birthday."

"My birthday's not for another three months." She told him not touching the gift in front of her.

"I know, I bought this for you last year, I just never had the guts to send it to you. Please open it." He pushed it towards her again, it was clumsily wrapped and the bow was uneven, it was so completely Finn. It was rude not to accept a gift, her hands trembled slightly when they touched the flimsy envelope. It wasn't a card like she was expecting.

"You had a star named after me?"

"I spent a lot of time watching crappy TV in the hospital and there was this movie about this popular guy and this unpopular girl and they fell in love. She liked astrology or whatever so he had a star named after her. And I thought since Rachel Berry is a star it should be official." He scratched his ear, he could feel the blood rushing to them, he was positive they were shining like Rudolph's nose.

"This is amazing, why would you do this?"

"Because I'm in love with you."

Word vomit, he hadn't exactly meant to just blurt it out like that. Rachel obviously was shocked by his admission as well, shocked into silence which he hadn't thought possible.

"I know you hate me and that I was just as horrible and cruel to you as Puck and Quinn were to me. You didn't deserve that and I am so sorry it took me so long to realize it. I'm sorry."

Leaning forward her took the box and unwrapped it slowly, she would probably faint if there was an engagement ring

in there. The small sigh of relief was the only sound she had made in the last five minutes.

"It's a charm bracelet; my dad got one for my mum and added a charm every time he went away."

Her hands reached for it by their own violation. A ballet slipper, a musical note, the statue of liberty, a clapper board, a

twig of berries, a microphone, a star, there was even a witch's hat like Elphaba's from _Wicked_.

"It's all things that remind me of you." He explained clasping it around her wrist. "I tried to find a tony award charm but I don't think they make them."

"I can't take this." She whispered shaking her head.

"I want you to have it." Finn bit his lip leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'm not giving up on you Rachel."

Feeling daring her leant towards her again moving slowly so that she could back away if she wanted to, but she didn't. It was fleeting like a butterfly's wings against her lips, she moved into it kissing him back. With strength he never knew he had he managed to pull away taking a mental picture of how she looked post kiss, it was definitely his new favourite image.

"So you're cool to sing the bridge?"

Rachel opened her eyes, Finn was once again staring down at the music scribbling away in his notebook. Indi was going to kill her when she told her what just happened.

"Of course, let's work on arranging the key."

Finn didn't stray away from the assignment as a topic of conversation for the rest of the night, he didn't even attempt to kiss her goodbye when he left giving Rachel the impression that she may have imagined the whole thing. But there was the bracelet on her wrist, its charms tinkling against each other merrily. Tomorrow was going to be very interesting.

_GLEE_

**Now of course you all know this is The Beatles – Help but the slow version is done by John Farnham; I'm thinking of working his song You're The Voice into this fic, check it out and let me know if you would like it!**

**I'm flattered that some of you believe I must be the daughter of a famous rock musician AKA Indi. Alas, that is sadly not true. Indi is not me, she is far more ruthless and funnier than I. My reasoning for bringing a friend that is an OC in for Rachel is that I felt she needed a person who was separate from that group to vent to, besides in the real world people meet lots of different people. I personally only see two or three people from High School anymore. **

**Anyways, it was not my intention to Mary Sue this story.**

**Things to look forward to:**

**The arrival of Sectionals AND the third musketeer Carver.**

**But first the return of an old friend...or foe.**

**I can reveal it will be one of the following people:**

**April Rhodes**

**Matt Rutherford**

**Jesse St. James**

**Suzy Pepper**

**Lauren Zizes**

**Hit me up with your guesses and I'll see you all with a new chappie on Sunday!**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

_GLEE_

It had been three days since her momentary lapse in judgement with Finn, so far she hadn't mentioned what had happened to anyone although she had a feeling Artie knew given the sly smiles he kept sending her way.

"Those girls are impossible to work with, if I have to hear that Aretha Wannabe threaten to cut Ms. Boob Job again I will kill them all. I bet the jury would even side with me!"

Rachel looked up from the floor where she was playing with blocks with Beth.

"Rehearsal didn't go well?"

"What was your first clue?" Indi asked brightly, all fake of course. "First no one could agree on a song, then they decided to do a mash-up and then it was a fight over who would sing lead. If it wasn't for that Tina girl I swear Santana would be missing a whole lot of extensions. And what's with the other blonde? She suggested we sing songs from _The Little Mermaid_."

"That's Brittany, she's... different." Rachel said slowly, the girl was never outwardly mean.

"By different you mean special like special ed special right?"

"So have you guys managed to do anything?" Rachel asked carefully lining the blocks in a straight line, her group were ready to perform and it had taken minimal effort to convince the other boys of the song's suitability.

"Apparently we must all wear red dresses and leave our hair down." Indi recited rolling her eyes. "I think they decided on some Britney Spears song mashed up with some other equally shit song."

"Don't give me that look you're the one who insisted we join glee club!" Rachel reminded her.

"As if you aren't secretly enjoying watching them self destruct."

"Aren't you meant to be having a video chat with Jackson right now?" Rachel said changing the subject, she didn't want to admit to the satisfaction she got at the way the club was obviously in trouble.

"Yes I am but don't think this is the end of this conversation, I'll call in Carver if I have to!"

"Say hello to Jackson for me!" Rachel called after her holding back a laugh. "Aunt Indi is so silly, yes she is!"

"You do realize that she can't talk back right?"

Luckily she was sitting otherwise she would have jumped and quite possibly dropped the baby.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" She was trying to look past the intruder to see if there were anymore surprises waiting to pop out.

"Indi left the door unlocked behind her."

"Great then you wont need me to escort you out." She gestured towards the door turning to secure Beth in her bouncy seat.

"I need to talk to you."

"And I need you to leave." Rachel replied evenly stepping in front of Beth to protect her.

"Just give me five minutes please?"

"Fine what did you need to talk to me about?" Rachel sat in the big easy chair Beth sitting beside her thoroughly engrossed with her teething ring.

"It's about last year."

"I figured as much, all anybody seems to want to talk about is last year." Rachel mumbled.

"It was memorable."

"What do you want Mercedes?" Rachel asked point blank, her tolerance for people blathering had severely decreased since she had left Ohio.

"I want to know what the hell crawled up your butt." Mercedes grumbled. "Ever since you got back you've been acting like practically everyone in glee is the enemy and set out to make you miserable last year and that wasn't what happened at all."

"So when I returned this year you would characterize your behaviour as welcoming? Because as I recall the second Mr. Schuester suggested that I sing you were quite adamant about not wanting to hear it."

"Perhaps we weren't exactly overjoyed that you were back but you were just as unhappy to see us." Mercedes pointed out.

"That's because I knew what my reception would be!" Rachel exclaimed. "Not one of you have ever tried to include me, from the beginning you hated me. I tried so hard to be your friend and I know that I can be abrasive and conceited but guess what? My whole life the only thing that I have ever received validation for was my singing. It is the one thing in this world that is mine, and I'm the best in there, you're a great singer Mercedes and so is Kurt but I'm better because I want it more."

"That's not fair! We all love glee."

"But if it was taken away your life wouldn't be over. You have friends, other things to help you through the day." Rachel swiped at her eyes cursing her traitorous tear ducts. "I don't, without glee, without singing I'm just the freak in a slushee stained animal sweater."

"You don't need glee to sing Rachel, you uploaded videos to myspace every damn day!"

"Yeah and had them mocked by everyone in the school. I want to know what exactly it was that I did that was so bad to all of you? What was it that I did that was so horrible to everyone? What makes me such a horrible person?" She had managed to get her tears under control by letting the anger overtake her.

"What's going on?"

"Mercedes came over here on her high horse and I asked her why it is she treats me the way that she does, I'm waiting for her answer." Rachel replied evenly staring at Mercedes with a blank look obviously waiting for an answer.

"Would you mind if I call Carver and put him on speaker because I know he's dying to know why too." Indi turned the laptop so that Jackson could see the whole room.

"Do you mind?" Mercedes burst out glaring at Indi and her laptop like they were the intruders.

"Not at all." Indi said sitting down and making herself comfortable. "We're all ears."

"Fine, you want to know why everyone hates you?" Mercedes started. "It's because you think you are so much better than everyone else, you're conceited and bossy and always think your opinions are so much more important than anyone else's."

"So if I am to understand this correctly everybody dislikes me because I stick to my convictions, argue my point and don't fake humility?" Rachel checked blowing on her bangs. "Get over it. I'm constantly annoyed by Puck's vulgar mouth, Kurt's critique of everyone else's fashion and your insistence that we must sing RnB every week. Even Mr. Schuester's bizarre compulsion to rap."

"Wait-"

"No you listen. Everyone has irritating qualities, but the difference between you and me. I don't feel the need to belittle others because of it. I am headstrong and I do know my strengths, what good does acting as though I don't bring?"

"You-"

"You can leave now, you said your piece and I listened. Get out." Rachel turned away and picked Beth up nuzzling her cheek.

"See you at rehearsal tomorrow!" Indi yelled after the girl who was obviously pissed off judging by how hard the door slammed behind her.

"Uh Indi? Hello? Are you even still there?" Jackson asked from the screen.

"Sorry bro but I've got to report for best friend duty."

"I'm in the studio for the next few days but I'll call you when I'm free but not at 3am again."

Indi shook her head and signed off; her brother was an idiot. Of course she didn't need to sit and ponder than, she had a best friend to listen to.

_GLEE_

Rachel sat in her chair watching as the girls flitted around the front of the room getting ready for their number, the 'boys' had performed yesterday and Ms. Pillsbury had actually cried a little at their rendition of _Help!_

Indi looked thoroughly bored, she had donned the required red dress and top hat although her red dress was a Carter creation couriered to her at the last minute, all tartan and tulle and so not what the girls had expected. Even the top hat was different with the thick plaid ribbon and fake jewelled bird perched on the brim.

"We're ready Mr Schuester." Quinn called out, the girls now all in place waiting for the band to start to play.

"_There's only two types of people in the world  
One's that entertain  
And the one's that observe  
Well baby I'm a put on a show kind of girl  
Don't take the backseat, gotta be first." _

Santana crooned sauntering across the stage and sending come-hither eyes to the boys. Mercedes easily stepped around her taking the microphone.

"_I'm like a ringleader  
I call the shots  
I'm like a firecracker  
I make it hot  
When I put on a show."_

Mercedes handed off to Quinn who was demure in a sweet heart neckline and trying to play the picture of innocence.

"_I feel the adrenaline moving through my veins  
Spotlight on me and I'm ready to play  
I'm like a performer the dance floor is my stage  
Better be ready, I betcha feel the same!" _

Indi looked over at Rachel and winked high-fiving Brittany as she pushed Quinn out of the way, a little more roughly than necessary. The music kicked up and the two girls sang together, their voices blending well.

"_So come on let me entertain you!  
Let me entertain you!"_

Tina accepted the hand off from Brittany and walked purposefully across the small stage.

"_There's only two types of guys out there  
One's that can hang with me  
And one's that are scared  
So baby I hope that you came prepared  
I ran a tight ship  
so beware!" _

Once again forcefully Indi pushed the leading girl out of the way and air guitared her way across stage, Brittany was head banging, or what Indi had told her she called 'cool epilepsy.'

"_So come on let me entertain you!  
Let me entertain you!  
Come on, come on, come on, come on  
Come on, come on, come on, come on!"_

The girls all hit the stage together in a perfectly choreographed routine. Rachel bit back the laugh at how much she knew Indi was hating this, she despised Britney Spears, the moves were great, very fluid, Brittany was obviously the choreographer.

"_All eyes on me in the centre of the ring  
Just like a circus"_

The four lead girls sang together squaring off against Indi and Brittany.

"_Let me entertain you!"_

"_Just like a circus!"_

"_Entertain you!"_

The music stopped rather dramatically and the girls all looked down signaling the end of their song.

"All right! Let's hear it for the girls!" Mr. Schuester applauded enthusiastically glancing over at his favourite red head who was scribbling away on a notepad.

"We've so got this." Artie murmured to Rachel hitting her legs with his wheels, she admonished him with a small smile but she agreed. The girls were polished but there was no real heart in it.

"Hi kids." Ms Pillsbury greeted blushing s furious shade of red not too dissimilar to her hair. "I want to thank you both for preparing such great performances for me but there can only be one winner and the winner of the second annual boys vs girls competition is... the boys!"

Puck and Mike pumped fists and Finn smiled crookedly at Rachel who granted him a small grin.

"So what did we win?" Kurt spoke up, he really hoped they hadn't won some kind of bonding experience.

"As winners of the competition you will have the honor of selecting who will sing the duet at Sectionals!" Mr Schuester smiled widely rubbing his hands together, part 2 of the plan. "You can tell us your decision tomorrow."

The girls disgruntled by their loss stalked off to change out of their costumes leaving the boys plus Rachel and Indi in the choir room.

"So how should we do this?" Kurt asked. "I think the fairest way is to each write down the name of the boy and girl you think deserve the duet and then we can count the votes."

"That sounds fair." Artie agreed reaching into his backpack for his notebook carefully ripping a page into six not so equal pieces. The scraps were handed out and Indi offered her top hat for them to be thrown in.

"Cough 'em up!" Indi sang lightly waiting for each person to toss their scrap of paper into her hat. "So should I tally them by myself or just read them out?"

"Read them out." Puck said. "That's the only fair way."

"I feel like I'm on _Survivor_." She mumbled pulling the first scrap from the pile, she recognized Rachel's handwriting and mock glared at her.

"Indi and Artie."

"Rachel and Finn."

"Rachel and Finn."

"Kurt and Mercedes."

"Rachel and Finn."

Rachel scowled openly at Artie, she recognized his handwriting as well as Puck's.

"There's one left but it doesn't matter since Rachel and Finn have already won." Kurt noted sourly. "I take it you two both nominated yourselves?"

"No as a matter of fact I didn't although I have a hard time believing that you weren't the one who nominated yourself and Mercedes." Rachel retorted. "Personally I would rather not sing the duet at Sectionals."

"But you have to, no one else even comes close to having the kind of chemistry on stage that you and Finn have." Mike protested blushing slightly, so much for anonymous vote.

"Yeah shut it Hummel you know that my boy Finn here and Berry are the only two who could do it." Puck agreed.

"Told you I didn't nominate myself." Rachel poked her tongue out at Kurt who was glaring at the two boys like they were traitors.

"Ah girls, just in time to hear who are lucky duet partners will be." Mr Schuester's voice broke up the tension.

"Representing us at Sectionals will be Finn." Artie paused for dramatic effect, he had been hanging out with Rachel Berry after all. "And Rachel."

"That's so unfair!"

"They probably rigged the contest for themselves!"

The protests were loud and all overlapping, Mr Schuester's arms were probably going to be tired from trying to wave them down.

"They won fair and square, go home and get some rest because next week will be a challenge."

"I so don't like the sound of that." Mercedes opined picking up her bag.

"Me either." Quinn agreed. "But we can't let it bug us we've got a slumber party to look forward to."

Quinn made sure to raise her voice enough so that Rachel could pointedly hear.

"Don't be late, I can't promise they'll still be any ice cream left." Mercedes laughed back. "Come on Kurt you promised you'd help set up."

"Do you think they wanted us to know we weren't invited?" Indi asked sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"Maybe." Rachel answered playfully. "I can't say the idea of sleeping on someone's floor and neglecting my sleep routine appeals to me."

"That's because your crazy." Indi told her seriously. "Let's go Rachey, I believe you promised Carver we would skype him tonight and give our opinion on his project."

"We should hurry, the last time we were late he called my phone every three minutes until we were in front of the computer." Rachel giggled. "Bye."

"She said goodbye, that's a good sign right?" Artie asked running his wheels into Finn's toes, damn huge feet. Finn shrugged but there was no denying the boyish grin on his face.

_GLEE_

**Our mystery returnee makes his/her appearance in the next chapter! Anyone else want to just shakes Ryan Murphy for all of a sudden reverting Finn to his doofus season 1 self? He was never in love with Quinn. Why is her lying and sleeping with Puck somehow forgivable but Rachel's jealous/hurt/anger fueled lapse in judgment evil? Makes no sense dude. **

**Here's my thoughts:**

**Finn somehow thinks that the reason things didn't work out with Rachel because he wasn't over Quinn. He can forgive Quinn for sleeping with Puck and lying to him. He can forgive this because it didn't hurt as much BECAUSE HE NEVER LOVED HER!**

**Finn can't forgive Rachel because he loves her and that's why it hurt so much. DU'H!**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

_GLEE_

She watched while Indi devoured what had to be her third cone, of course this place didn't offer vegan ice cream, she'd have to write to the corporate headquarters about that.

"Stop! I know what you're thinking and I am perfectly happy in denial land about the evil things I am putting in my body." Indi commanded Rachel moaning from the delight the ice cream was giving her.

"Fine but I reserve the right to say I told you so after your open heart surgery."

Indi smiled through a mouthful of ice cream, Rachel laughed and threw a napkin at her.

"Rachel?"

Tall, but not Frankenteen tall, closely shaved head and skin roughly the colour of the ice cream she was currently eating.

"Matt! Hi, what are you doing here?" Rachel stood and hugged the guy gesturing for him to join them.

"Finally convinced mum to let me move back here with Dad." He answered easily. "But I thought you had left us all behind for the bright lights of New York, what are you doing here?"

"That's a long story." Rachel deflected. "Where are my manners? Matt Rutherford this is Indigo Davis; Indi is my best friend from New York and Matt here was in glee before his family moved to Atlanta."

"He wasn't evil?" Indi checked, she couldn't recall hearing about an evil Matt.

"No, Matt was always one of the few jocks who never partook in slushee facials, pee balloons or dumpster dives." Rachel assured her.

"Sounds like McKinley hasn't changed." Matt remarked. "Almost enough to make me dread Monday."

"It definitely hasn't." Indi agreed. "I wasn't there before but those glee bitches are just as horrible as they always were."

"What Indi means is that the female members of New Directions haven't exactly endeared themselves to either of us. They are still the same judgmental, arrogant girls as always." Rachel explained further. "But I'm sure Mike has kept you up to date with everything that's been going on."

"Well I know about babygate and everything that happened to Finn." Matt revealed. "But I haven't really talked to Mike since he got together with Tina, he's always busy with her. He doesn't even know I moved back."

"I'm so sorry but I'm sure he'll be excited to see you." She comforted grasping his hand for a moment. "Are you going to join Glee again? It would be nice to have a more even ratio again."

"Yeah, I actually missed it while I was in Atlanta. They didn't even teach music at my high school there." Matt shook his head in distaste. "And their football team was worse than ours."

"Not to be rude but why are you talking to us? I get that you knew Rachel but I lived with the girl for over a year and the only contact she had from Lima was her fathers." Indi butted in, as always the overprotective lioness.

"Well let's just say being the new kid in Atlanta definitely gave me a new perspective for what Rachel here went through, I promised myself if I got to come back that I wouldn't just let the bullies get away with it anymore. You were my teammate and I should have had your back." Matt apologized.

"That's very sweet, I never harbored any ill feelings towards you but your apology is much appreciated." Rachel smiled. "Not to be rude but Indi and I should be going, we're babysitting tonight."

"No problem, I'll see you guys at school on Monday." Matt waved heading into the ice cream store.

"He's fine." Indi whistled making Rachel blush, many people were now staring at them.

"Wait, are you actually admitting to finding someone attractive?" Rachel feigned shock. "I thought you declared the opposite sex as evil bottom feeders whose only purpose in life was to procreate and ruin the lives of those around them?"

"Oh they are." Indi assured her quickly. "But they can also be quite fun once in a while."

This was definitely an interesting development, at least now if Indi tried to tease her about Finn she would have something in her back pocket.

_GLEE_

"Is this seat taken?"

Rachel looked up from her lunch startled by the interruption, she almost checked to see if there was someone behind her to whom he was actually speaking with.

"Of course not, please sit." She gestured to the empty seats around her, Indi was obviously running late and she hadn't seen Artie yet today hence her lonely table.

"I guess it was too much to ask that the cafeteria would have gotten better food since I left." Matt laughed poking his fork and some kind of orange mess on his plate.

"I bring my lunch everyday, I doubt anything that deeply fried would be vegan friendly." She wrinkled her nose, it smelt terrible. "I'm not that hungry if you'd like the rest of my sandwich; it's just a boring peanut butter and jelly but I'm sure its more appetizing than whatever that is."

"I think it's meant to be meatloaf." Matt answered pushing the tray away and accepting Rachel's sandwich eagerly devouring it in about two bites. "Where's your friend; Indi right?"

"Running late." Rachel replied scanning the room for her friend's crazy curls. "Why aren't you sitting with your old friends?"

"I saw a bunch of them steal that hippy dude with the long hair's clothes in gym and dumped them in the toilet." Matt shook his head. "Not exactly the kind of people I want to spend time with."

"Still, Mike is sitting with Tina and Mercedes, I'm sure they would love to see you and even though they are gleeks you are far less likely to be slushied with them than with I." She pointed out.

"And leave you on your lonesome?" Matt tipped back in his chair crossing his arms behind his head. "Now what kind of a friend would that make me?"

"Sorry! That bitchy cheerleader coach kept me so she could give me a ten minute diatribe on why my father is the devil." Indi apologized plopping down. "I guess those three cheerwhore's didn't keep their mouths shut."

"Whoa Matt?"

"Oh and Frankenteen is looking for you." Indi added as if just remembering now that the teen in person was standing in front of them. Matt stood up and did that weird high five half hug arm slap thing that all guys seemed to greet eachother with.

"Hey Finn, long time man."

"What are you doing back?" He asked pulling up a chair.

"Moved in with my dad." Matt answered. "I heard about Puck and Quinn, sorry that really sucks."

"Thanks." Finn replied flitting his eyes back over to Rachel. "You coming to Glee this afternoon?"

"Definitely."

"Great, uh Rachel can I talk to you for a second it's about our duet?" Finn all but stuttering his way through the question.

Rachel still weary from their stolen kiss that she had still not told Indi about reluctantly agreed following him to a corner which was slightly more quiet.

"So I was thinking we could _The Way You Make Me Feel_, the Michael Jackson song? I remember you mentioned it last year."

"How can you possibly remember that?" She had only mentioned it in passing that she thought the song would work well as a high energy duet.

"It was after _Don't Stop Believin' _we were all still buzzing and you said we should do MJ next." Finn told her softly. "Everyone will expect us to do some sappy love song duet like Mr Schue would pick, this could be really amazing."

"I agree, it was my idea first after all." Rachel smiled. "I have a free period next, we could work on it in the auditorium?"

"Great I guess I can miss my nap in health class." Finn decided. "I already got the backing CD from the music store and the sheet music, I was thinking we could just kind of do free style choreography just get a feel for the music you know?"

"Sounds great."

"Hey you two, if you're not coming back that means I can have this apple right?" Matt asked waving the shiny red fruit, Rachel laughed and motioned for him to eat it.

"When did you guys become friends?"

"Indi and I ran into him on the weekend, I think he has a crush on her." Rachel revealed watching her best friend interact with Matt, her eyes were sparkling while she told some story.

"I doubt Santana would like that, they were together before Matt left last year." Finn told her. "She'll probably try to skin Indi alive."

"She can take her." Rachel said confidently. "Besides Matt isn't her property and I don't think he wants to be, he hasn't even mentioned her."

"You didn't see her when I found out Puck was the baby's father." Finn groaned. "I thought she was going to actually kill Quinn, I'm pretty sure she was going to jump her if Brittany hadn't held her back."

"Not that I condone violence but if Santana tried to take on Indi she would be severely overmatched; as part of my father's agreement to allow me to live in New York I had to learn self-defense, Indi joined me in my classes. She can handle herself." Rachel bit back a giggle, she knew all too well how much Indi was aching to hurt the Latina.

"I can't picture you in a fight, I always figured you'd just sing the highest note you could and run like hell." Finn admitted.

"That is my preferred method of self-defense but I now also know how to incapacitate anyone who tries to hurt me." Rachel pulled on his arm. "Let's go to the auditorium, I don't think either Matt or Indi will notice our absence right now."

Finn glanced back over at the table, the two were talking with their heads close together, he could also see a less than pleased Santana glaring at them, but he figured nothing would happen yet since Brittany was there to restrain her if she went psycho.

"Let's go."

_GLEE_

**Updating early in return for some help. Whichever helpful reviewer can send me the link to the story I am about to describe gets a shout out in the next chapter. **

**The glee guys are bonding and talking about their favourite things their girlfriends can do; Artie mentions Brittany's flexability and Finn wins with that fact Rachel has no gag reflex. Seriously dying to find this!**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE.**

**This is for GHOSTINTHEMOONLIGHT for her lovely reviews and much appreciated help!**

_GLEE_

Rachel was late to glee, Finn was staring at the door wondering where the hell she was and what could be holding her up. He was marginally less worried than he would be since Indi was also missing and Artie kept assuring him they would be here any minute.

"Sorry we're late." Indi greeted breezing in through the door. "Rachey and I had to pick something up."

"I'm sure you all remember Matt." Rachel added pulling him into the choir room with her. "He's here to audition but really I think that's just a formality right?"

"Guys lets welcome back Matt!" Mr Schuester said happily squeezing the boys arm. "Take a seat and we'll get right into this weeks assignment."

Rachel practically skipped over to the seat next to Finn, she was in an honest-to-god good mood, Indi flopped next to her and Matt sat in front of them and next to Artie leaning towards him to bump fists.

"I think you are all getting too comfortable, I haven't seen any real surprises from any of you in a while. So this week I want you to challenge yourselves." Mr Schue wrote the word across the blackboard and circled it. "Step outside your comfort zone and sing something you've never done before; Mercedes no RnB, Finn no eighties rock and Rachel no Broadway."

Leaning forward she whispered to Artie, she would definitely need his help on this one. He nodded at her and smiled easily agreeing, he'd never gotten to work with Rachel one on one in glee and he was definitely looking forward to it.

"Now before you guys start brain storming, our leads for the duet at Sectionals have something they want to show to you guys."

Rachel stood confidently and handed out the music sheets to the band members while Finn cleared the front of the room leaving only a stool on the left side of the room. They'd ended up working through lunch and well into their next two periods on the song; so intent on the song that Rachel had failed to notice she was skipping class.

"_I think it would work well if I incorporate my ballet into this, lots of high kicks and twirls. If I worked with you and Mike helped, we could probably teach you how to support me through some flips and other maneuvers."_

"_That would be awesome, like during the bridge with the-"_

"_Exactly!" _

Rachel blinked out of her daydream, she'd forgotten just how in tune musically her and Finn had always been. Finn glanced at her, his eyes asking if she was ready she smiled back and slightly nodded slipping off her jacket and switching into the high heels that Indi had cut last period to pick up for her.

"_Hee-Hee!  
__Ooh!  
Go On Girl!  
Aaow!"_

Finn started to stalk towards her while she tip toed around him always spinning just out of his grasp as they danced their way across the room.

"_Hey Pretty Baby With The  
High Heels On  
You Give Me Fever  
Like I've Never, Ever Known  
You're Just A Product Of  
Loveliness  
I Like The Groove Of  
Your Walk,  
Your Talk, Your Dress." _

He stroked her face and leant into kiss her but she pulled away shaking a finger in his face; their idea was that this whole song was a game of cat and mouse, build the anticipation.

"_I Feel Your Fever  
From Miles Around  
I'll Pick You Up In My Car  
And We'll Paint The Town  
Just Kiss Me Baby  
And Tell Me Twice  
That You're The One For Me." _

Puffing his chest and motioning for her to come towards him he grasped her waist and spun her to his other side.

"_The Way You Make Me Feel."_

Rachel smirked and played the echo to his lead.

"_(The Way You Make Me Feel)"_

"_You Really Turn Me On." _

"_(You Really Turn Me On)" _

"_You Knock Me Off Of My Feet." _

"_(You Knock Me Off Of My Feet)" _

"_My Lonely Days Are Gone."_

"_(My Lonely Days Are Gone)"_

Taking advantage of the extra height from the heels Rachel placed her hand against Finn's chest and pushed him backwards until he was sat on the stool, it was her turn to be the cat.

"_I Like The Feelin'  
You're Givin' Me  
Just Hold Me Baby And I'm  
In Ecstasy  
Oh I'll Be Workin' From Nine  
To Five  
To Buy You Things To Keep  
You By My Side." _

Spinning around him she held her leg up in a high arch behind her head before twirling to hook it around him, crossing both legs around him and twisting so they faced each other while he dipped her low.

"_I Never Felt So In Love Before  
Just Promise Baby, You'll  
Love Me Forevermore  
I Swear I'm Keepin' You  
Satisfied  
'Cause You're The One For Me."_

He placed her on her feet leaning his face in, she leant forward too only to step around him.

"_The Way You Make Me Feel." _

Now he was her echo.

"_(The Way You Make Me Feel)" _

"_You Really Turn Me On." _

"_(You Really Turn Me On)" _

"_You Knock Me Off Of My Feet.  
Now Baby-Hee!" _

_(You Knock Me Off Of My Feet) _

"_My Lonely Days Are Gone-  
A-Acha-Acha"_

"_(My Lonely Days Are Gone)" _

"_Acha-Ooh!"_

Now here comes the difficult part, Finn still wasn't one hundred percent convinced of this move, Rachel ran towards him and he grabbed her tightly, one leg pointed out straight the other curved around him while he spun them in a mock tango. Using his shoulders to propel her she flipped easily over him and tapped him on the shoulder before dancing out of his grasp again.

"_Go On Girl!  
Go On! Hee! Hee! Aaow!  
Go On Girl!" _

Grabbing onto her hand he spun her into him, her back nestled against his front while they sang together.

"_I Never Felt So In Love Before  
Promise Baby, You'll Love Me  
Forevermore  
I Swear I'm Keepin' You  
Satisfied  
'Cause You're The One For  
Me."_

Pulling away but still holding hands Rachel took lead while Finn echoed.

"_The Way You Make Me Feel." _

"_(The Way You Make Me Feel)"_

"_You Really Turn Me On." _

"_(You Really Turn Me On)"_

"_You Knock Me Off Of My Feet." _

"_Now Baby-Hee!" _

"_(You Knock Me Off Of My Feet)" _

"_My Lonely Days Are Gone." _

"_(My Lonely Days Are Gone)" _

Now Finn took over lead duties again trying to keep up with what Rachel termed simple steps but he considered harder than algebra.

"_The Way You Make Me Feel." _

"_(The Way You Make Me Feel)"_

"_You Really Turn Me On." _

"_(You Really Turn Me On)"_

"_You Knock Me Off Of My Feet." _

"_Now Baby-Hee!" _

"_(You Knock Me Off Of My Feet)" _

"_My Lonely Days Are Gone." _

"_(My Lonely Days Are Gone)" _

Still teasing they darted around each other finally coming face to face.

"_My lonely days are gone." _

Rachel broke away first, she always did most conscious of everyone staring.

"That's as far as we managed in our free period." She told Mr Schuester. "I understand it is an unconventional choice for a duet but I think that is what will make it work."

"You don't have to convince me that was great, and exactly what I meant about challenging yourselves." Mr Schuester looked pointedly at his students. "Can I have a show of hands, have we found our duet for Sectionals? Hands up if you are in favour."

Obviously Finn and Rachel held up their hands, unsurprisingly so did Indi and Artie, then Matt and Puck, Brittany and Mike. The four girls plus Kurt scowled at them.

"I suppose it will have to do." Kurt agreed begrudgingly. "Of course they'll need costumes and a much better routine."

"I was going to ask Mike if he would like to choreograph for Finn while Brittany and I worked out my part." Rachel replied not stooping to the level of poking her tongue out at Kurt but very much wanting to. "The three of us have the strongest dance training and Mike can work with Finn to get him up to scratch."

"We have just over a month not ten years." Santana sneered.

"I'm sure between the three of us we'll manage."

"I'm inclined to agree and with eight ayes, we have our duet for Sectionals. Now we just have to focus on our other two songs." Mr Schue turned back to the blackboard and circled _challenges_ again. "Whatever song you challenge yourself with could be our next number at competition."

"Hey Rachel I really liked that leg thing you did." Brittany complimented. "When should we rehearse? I can't read my watch but I have an alarm on my phone."

"How about when football and cheerio practice is over?" She suggested. "We can meet at my house and use my basement room."

"Great." Mike agreed, he glanced at the one sometimes nice cheerleader. "We'll make sure to bring us with her, last Summer she walked to Santana's house and no one saw her for two weeks."

"Hey Rachey, you've got some 'splainin to do!" Indi said wagging her finger in a passable Ricky Ricardo impersonation.

"I knew I shouldn't have let you buy that _I Love Lucy_ box set." Rachel groaned. "Can we talk about this at home? I need to speak with Artie about an idea for this weeks assignment."

"Sure." Indi replied even though Rachel had already walked away and was explaining something to Artie, smiling widely. She was glad Rachel was beginning to get her power back, the mopey, jaded Rachel was kind of kick ass for a while but she missed _her_ Rachel that always had a million song suggestions and demanded the attention of everyone in the room. She couldn't wait to tell Carver that their girl was most definitely kicking ass and taking names.

_GLEE_

**Hey guys, my muse has been cheating on this fic with another that features a few surprising characters! Expect to see this in the next few weeks. **


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

Laughter, honest-to-god laughter. She had no idea that Brittany could be so funny. Finn's dance training had turned into an impromptu glee session since Indi was there and Artie was helping Rachel with her song and they'd invited Matt to catch him up with what had been going on lately.

"You have a pretty house, it must be like where Cinderella lived!" Brittany complimented her.

"Thanks but I always thought of myself more as Belle since she was a brunette." Rachel told her.

"That's so pretty! I'm going to call you that now! Belle!"

"And we all know Frankenteen here is the beast." Indi joked shoving Finn, she was against her better judgement starting to like the guy, it was hard to hold a grudge when he was doing everything he and Artie could think of to woo Rachel.

"Who does that make you? The evil stepsister?" He teased back feeling comfortable enough to finally do so.

"No way, she's my fairy godmother." Rachel corrected slinging an arm around Indi's shoulder.

"Don't let Carver hear you say that!" Indi warned, he was Rachel's real life fairy godmother; self appointed of course.

"Who is this Carver guy you two are always talking about?" Mike asked helping himself to the crackers Rachel had laid out.

"He's a friend from LaGuardia, he has to be seen to be believed." Rachel explained. "He's coming out to visit over winter break."

"And your parents are letting him stay here?" Matt said with a whistle. "Wish my parents were that cool."

"He's a Streisand fan." Indi giggled. "No need to worry about him impregnating either of us."

"You know Indi you're not nearly as psycho as Quinn keeps telling people you are." Mike told her. "That came out wrong."

"It's fine, it's not like I'm going to cry myself to sleep because a bitch thinks I'm crazy."

"She's just jealous." Brittany said suddenly. "She hates Rachel because Finn likes her and you're best friends with Rachel and totally rich and famous."

"Wow Britt, that was really spot on." Matt clapped while both Finn and Rachel turned a matching shade of crimson.

"Well Mercedes said everyone hated Rachel because she apparently told everyone she was better than them and made suggestions all the time." Indi recalled. "But as far as I can tell it's Santana and Quinn who think their shit don't stink."

Artie choked on his drink at Indi's choice of words almost spluttering his drink on Brittany who rubbed his back until he could breathe again.

"Can we not discuss this?" Rachel asked. "Dwelling on the opinions of people who don't matter to me is useless."

"But we're a family." Brittany protested. "That's what Mr Schuester always says."

"Maybe if the family he's referring to were the Manson's."

"Enough relaxing we still have to work out the last section of the song." Rachel clapped taking charge. "I was thinking perhaps we could have Brittany and Mike and Puck and Quinn pair up as well and shadow the dance that Finn and I do. If we can time it perfectly it would look amazing."

"Yeah that would be great." Brittany enthused. "Maybe we could pair everyone up, Kurt and Mercedes, Tina and Artie-"

"We have 13 people." Rachel reminded her. "Unless we recruit another male, there'll be an odd girl out."

"What about that new kid?" Mike suggested. "The one with the Bieber hair?"

"Sam?" Artie said uncertainly.

"He hit on Quinn by talking like the smurfs in that blue movie." Brittany giggled. "She told him she couldn't date someone who was so far down on the social ladder."

"That's why he went out for football." Mike exclaimed snapping his fingers. "He's playing QB, he'd probably play better if he didn't keep staring at the cheerios."

"What makes you think he's interested in singing?" Indi asked grabbing a handful of popcorn.

"I heard him singing in the shower after gym last week." Finn said slowly. "I don't think he knew anyone was there, he's not bad."

"If he's trying to get a rep, there's no way he'll join."

"Quinn's there." Brittany smiled. "Tell him it will help get him closer to Quinn."

"More like closer to Puck's fist." Artie snorted.

"Just ask, mention Quinn and he'll do it." Brittany promised. "Now let's dance!"

Artie flipped the music back on bobbing his head in time to the beat watching Brittany and Rachel try and work out some new moves while Mike explained to Finn the steps for the first half again. He'd never noticed how sweet Brittany could be before, she saw him staring at smiled turning the tips of his ears pink.

"I think McQueen here has a crush." Indi whispered to Matt.

"On Brit?"

"No Rachel. Yes Brittany, she's not nearly as horrible as I thought she would be." Indi admitted, once you took her away from the toxic influence that was Santana, she was actually kind of fun.

"Well, we might just have to do something about that." Matt decided, he knew Brit could be a little dumb at times but she really was sweet and he knew better than anyone about how Santana could ruin your life, besides Artie deserved to be happy and he doubt anyone could not smile around the ditzy cheerleader.

_GLEE_

So far everyone's 'challenging' assignment had been pretty typical, Kurt had sung a rock song and refrained from an outlandish costume, Mercedes had sung a Taylor Swift song completely devoid of high notes while Mike challenged himself by singing by himself a Justin Timberlake number. Today Rachel would perform her selection, only Artie knew what she was singing and he remained tight lipped.

"He actually showed." Matt mumbled under his breath, Finn was standing at the front of the room grinning, his hand clapped on Sam's shoulder.

"Guys I'd like you to welcome our newest member; Sam Evans."

"What's the Ken doll doing here?" Santana asked sourly, Sam was already making eyes at Quinn who was staring back like he was something she had scraped off the bottom of her shoe.

"Santana we've talked about this, I will not tolerate you insulting your team mates." Mr Schuester barked. "This is your last warning I do not want to have to talk to you about this again."

"I think I'll just sit down." Sam decided plopping down in the second row.

"Now Finn has offered to go first today, take it away!"

Artie flashed his best friend a good luck smile, he knew how nervous Finn was about this particular performance.

"To really challenge myself I had to not be afraid to sing about exactly who I am and what has happened to me, so this is me. Finn unplugged."

A few people chuckled, Brittany nudged Rachel and winked, even she realized this would be about her.

"Just so you know, I had help from unnamed sources for this song, I'd never heard of this dude before last week."

Rachel glanced at Indi and Artie, of the two Artie seemed to avoiding her gaze the most so she guessed he was at least one of the sources.

"_Sometimes I get so tired,  
Just trying to find a place,  
To lay my head,  
I look up to the sky,  
I feel the warmest light comfort me,  
I've seen the great heights,  
Reminding me... that I'm alive."_

He wasn't attempting to dance or even perform, he was just standing there, hands in pockets singing with that crooked grin on his face. 

"_I don't wanna die,  
I don't wanna waste another day,  
Or night,  
I know there's something more,  
Than what we're living for,  
I see it in the stars,  
I feel it on the shores,  
I know there's something,  
I know there's something more."_

He had actually managed to drag his eyes up from the floor now, pointedly avoiding the people who he knew would be sneering and focussing only on the encouraging smiles coming from his unnamed sources and the look on Rachel's face.

"_I think we're all afraid,  
That we might be alone,  
Alone down here,  
We all want to have some faith,  
At least that's true in my case,  
To just believe,  
I've seen the great height,  
Reminding me... that I'm alive."_

Pulling his hands out of his pockets, her started to loosen up and push as much of himself into the song as possible.

"_I don't wanna die,  
I don't wanna waste another day,  
Or night,  
I know there's something more,  
Than what we're living for,  
I see it in the stars,  
I feel it on the shore,  
I know there's something,  
This world may crumble,  
Into the ocean,  
It could all end tonight,  
I undermined you,  
Then try to find you,  
My only source of light,  
There breathing,  
I am,  
Breathing,  
I am,  
Alive."_

Brittany turned around and shushed Quinn and Mercedes who were whispering loudly to each other, Santana gave her best friend an annoyed look but she ignored it giving her attention back to Finn.

"_I don't wanna die,  
I don't wanna waste another day or night,  
I know there's something more,  
Than what we're living for,  
I see it in the stars,  
I feel it on the shore,  
I know that I'm alive,  
I don't wanna die,  
I don't wanna waste another day,  
Or night.  
I know there's something more,  
Than what we're living for,  
I see it in the stars,  
I feel it on the shore,  
I know there's something more."_

Scratching his ear, Finn blushed at his friend's antics; Artie was hooting and hollering and Matt was cheering loudly, Rachel was clapping enthusiastically and even Indi was applauding him.

"That was great Finn, you definitely stepped up to the challenge!" Mr Schuester enthused.

"I'd like to go next Mr Schuester." Rachel volunteered already standing.

"The floor is yours."

"Thank you." She nodded to Artie who was strapping on his guitar. "To challenge myself I decided to share with you something that I've never shared with anyone. This song is very personal to me, I wrote it last year. I have asked Artie for his help with putting my lyrics to music, it's still very rough but I think just allowing you to hear my words will be enough."

Finn swallowed hard, he already knew this song would be full of emotion and would leave him feeling like an absolute douche.

"_Am I not pretty enough?  
Is my heart too broken?  
Do I cry too much?  
Am I too outspoken?  
Don't I make you laugh?  
Should I try it harder?  
Why do you see right through me?"_

Eyes wide open she stared down each person who had made it their mission to make her feel as horrible about herself as possible. She refused to look away making them feel as uncomfortable as she had.

"_I live,  
I breathe,  
I let it rain on me.  
I sleep,  
I wake,  
I try hard not to break.  
I crave,  
I love,  
I've waited long enough.  
I try as hard as I can."_

Turning her gaze to Finn she smiled sadly, she could remember exactly how she felt when she had written this, every emotion, every tear.

"_Am I not pretty enough?  
Is my heart too broken?  
Do I cry too much?  
Am I too outspoken?  
Don't I make you laugh?  
Should I try it harder?  
Why do you see right through me?"_

Peeling off her jacket she revealed a one of a kind Carver creation, sent via fed ex and having arrived yesterday. A plain white shirt covered in angry black marker, it bore every single horrible name she had ever been called; RuPaul, Manhands, Treasure Trail, Troll, Hobbit, Stubbles, Freak, Loser and countless others. It was torn in places and held together by very loose stitching and decidedly not Rachel but it was apart of the challenge.

"_I laugh,  
I feel,  
I make believe it's real.  
I fall,  
I freeze,  
I pray down on my knees.  
I hope,  
I stand,  
I take it like a man.  
I try as hard as I can."_

Turning around so that they could only see her back she ripped the shirt off revealing a different shirt underneath.

"_Am I not pretty enough?  
Is my heart too broken?  
Do I cry too much?  
Am I too outspoken?  
Don't I make you laugh?  
Should I try it harder?  
Why do you see right through me?"_

The new shirt had completely different things written on it; beautiful, talented, loving, smart, kind and several things that only made sense to Rachel, Indi and Carver. And of course there were gold stars sewn in odd spots too.

"_Why do you see?  
Why do you see?  
Why do you see right through me?  
Why do you see?  
Why do you see?  
Why do you see right through me?  
Why do you see?  
Why do you see?  
Why do you see right through me?  
Why do you see?  
Why do you see?  
Why do you see right through me?"_

Emotionally drained Rachel breathed deeply accepting a hug from Artie who whispered something that made her giggle.

"Rachel that was fantastic." Mr Schuester complimented. "You obviously put a lot of heart and soul into this, thank you for sharing it with us."

"As I said it was Artie who developed the music so it was really a two part effort." Rachel deflected modestly, she really wouldn't be able to hold it together if anyone tried to tear her down right now.

"You were both fantastic." He amended quickly. "I think everyone can take a lot away from that performance."

"I can answer that question for you." Santana smirked. "No you're not pretty enough."

"Oh that is it!" Indi growled. "What the hell is your problem? Are you such a sadistic bitch that just because you're pathetic and miserable everybody else has to be too?"

"Santana, Indigo both of you stop it!" Mr Schuester yelled sharply. "I will not tolerate this anymore. Indi I understand that you are just sticking up for your friend but please do not result to name calling and Santana that was your last warning, one more comment like that and I'll be forced to take it up with Principal Figgins and your parents."

Puck bit back a snort at Santana's wide eyes, if her father found out about her behaviour he would kill her.

"We are meant to be a family, start acting like it!"

Mr Schuester took a leaf out of Rachel's book and stormed out of the choir room hoping that the kids would react to his anger since his words weren't working.

_GLEE_

**Hey guys, my muse has been cheating on this fic with another that features a few surprising characters! Expect to see this in the next few weeks. **


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

The past week had flown by, their set list for Sectionals was slowly coming together and everyone was feigning civility since the all wanted to win the competition. Glee was first period and so far Indi was late; Rachel had before her this morning squeezing in an early morning rehearsal with Finn.

"Where is she?" Artie whispered he too had noticed Indi's absence. Rachel shrugged, knowing her friend she was probably just running late.

"Hi Mr Schuester sorry I'm late!" Indi breathed heavily, she'd sprinted from the car. "We had a flat tyre."

"That's fine, just don't make a habit of it." He smiled good naturedly waving her to a vacant seat. "Now I've narrowed down the suggestions to this short list."

Turning to the whiteboard he started to scrawl the names, Rachel was trying to read what he was writing but Indi was determined to get her attention, since she couldn't wait the five minutes left in class.

"Rachel!"

"Indi I'm trying to pay attention!"

"You need to pay attention to me!" Indi hissed, Rachel clicked her tongue and turned to face her.

"Can you wait five minutes?"

"Fine!" Indi replied embarrassed by the stern look from Mr Schuester who had noticed her whispering.

"Just save it until we're finished okay?" Mr Schuester turned back to the board. "Now we already have our duet, your assignment this week is to pick one of these songs and rework it for Sectionals, you can make it a mash-up, change the tempo whatever you want, you can work in groups or by yourselves."

Rachel carefully copied down the list mentally evaluating each suggestion while everybody started to discuss their ideas; Indi whacked her over the head.

"Can we talk now?"

"Okay what has got you so excited?" She asked putting down her pen and giving her best friend her full attention.

"Pick a hand." Indi ordered mysteriously wiggling her eyebrows. Rachel pointed to the left, her eyes widening when Indi produced the concealed items in her palm.

"NO WAY!" Rachel squealed plucking the passes from Indi.

"Mark's friends with the promoter and Jackson asked if he could score us some tickets." Indi explained only just noticing that everyone was now staring at them. "Hey McQueen you gut plans tomorrow night?"

"Finn, Matt and I were thinking of having a Halo night." Artie replied pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Wow so sorry we're going to have to make you cancel." Indi said sarcastically tossing three passes onto his lap.

"Jackson?"

"Jackson." She confirmed dancing slightly in excitement. "So are you boys in?"

"You'll have to tell us what's going on first." Matt chuckled, Rachel and Artie were whispering excitedly earning glares from several of the girls.

"Jackson sent us six backstage passes to." Pause for dramatic effect. "BON JOVI!"

"Seriously?" Finn asked partially in shock.

"Hells yeah!" Matt cheered accepting the pass Artie handed over to him.

"Who should we give the last pass to?" Rachel asked holding the extra, Indi's eyes twinkled and she motioned towards Brittany with her head, Artie's not so subtle crush had been fodder for them the last few days.

"Artie why don't you ask Brittany if she wants to come with us?" Rachel suggested giving him the pass.

He blushed bright red, he should have known his crush wasn't as secret as he had thought. Wheeling over to where Brittany was talking to Santana, although arguing might be a better term given the angry look on Santana's face.

"What do you want cripple?" She snapped, actually growled was probably more accurate.

"Santana!" Brittany exclaimed fixing her best friend with a hurt look, Santana merely rolled her eyes and stalked over to Sam probably to insult him some more. "Sorry Artie."

"S'okay." He shrugged, he'd been treated worse and with Santana it was her default setting eventually you just ignored it. "Indi and Rachel have passes to the Bon Jovi concert tomorrow night; did you want to come with us?"

"That's the band that used to have big hair!" Brittany shrieked. "Yes! Is this a date?"

"Yep." Indi answered for Artie who was finding it hard to use words. "Rach will pick you up tomorrow and you can get ready with us."

"Can we have a sleepover?"

"It'll probably have to be." Rachel said looking at the passes. "The concert doesn't end until midnight and by the time my Dad picks us up and drives us back to Lima it'll be really late, or early depending on how you look at it."

"I find time confusing." Brittany said slowly.

"Yeah you've mentioned that before." Indi replied slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Tomorrow is going to rock!"

_GLEE_

_GLEE_

She would need to bake at least a hundred of her sugar cookies, a dozen loaves of banana bread and quite possibly devote her first Tony win to Jackson. The concert had been amazing, because of Artie's wheelchair the group had been moved to a special area near the front blocked off from the rest of the mosh pit. Matt and Finn had jumped up and down during _It's My Life, _Artie had been wheeling around the limited space banging his head in time.

"That was insane!" Matt yelled appreciatively.

"I don't think I can hear anything in my left ear!" Rachel yelled back, her smile so wide she was sure her face would be hurting tomorrow.

"Should we tell those two to break it up so we can leave?" Indi giggled pointing to Brittany who was now sitting on Artie's lap, the two involved in a very heated make out session.

"GO ARTIE!" Finn cheered loudly keeling slightly when Rachel threw an elbow into his gut scolding him for being rude.

"Sorry but we do need to go." Rachel smiled apologetically, she handed over the shirts that were now signed by the band to Finn. "It's already past one am."

"If anyone tries to wake me before ten I'm not liable for my actions!" Indi threatened wagging a finger at Rachel, she'd been living with her for over a year she knew all about her crazy six am schedule.

"No arguments from me." Rachel yawned leading the way to the parking lot where her Dad was waiting in his giant Land Rover.

"Did you guys have a nice time?"

"It was awesome!"

"They played _LIVING ON A PRAYER _as the encore!"

"He's so hot!"

"They signed our shirts!"

Everybody talked over each other, their ears still buzzing from being so close to the stage.

"Oh Daddy it was amazing, he has such presence!" Rachel gushed. "There were these girls wearing pink shirts that said 'We shake our Bon-Bon for Jon Bon' it was so funny!"

"Richie Sambora shook my hand, I'm never washing it again!"

"Ew!" Brittany wrinkled her nose. "That's gross."

"Finn he signed your shirt, he took a photo with you and he talked to your Mum on the phone, I think you can wash your hand." Artie said slowly patting his friend's head.

"Well it certainly sounds like you kids had quite the evening, you'll have to make sure to thank Jackson."

"We will Daddy but I think we all need to sleep right now!" Rachel glanced around the car, Brittany had her head resting on Artie's shoulder, Finn was still wide awake probably still high on adrenaline but Matt and Indi were fighting to stay awake.

"We have the beds all set up downstairs." Mr. Berry started to explain. "Papa and I are taking Beth to the club tomorrow for the group brunch so we'll probably be gone by the time you guys wake up, just make sure to pack everything up once everyone's gone home."

"I'll make sure everyone helps the girls clean up." Finn promised.

"Thank you Finn. You should probably try to nap now, Indi snores like a chainsaw."

"I heard that!" Indi grouched opening one eye and mock glaring at Rachel.

"And yet you didn't deny it!" Rachel replied making a face back.

"At least I don't talk in my sleep!"

"That was one time!"

"And I learnt a whole lot about you that night." Indi teased.

"I'm suddenly very interested in this." Artie spoke up looking between the two girls.

"Me too." Finn agreed. "Come on Indi what was Rachel talking about."

"It was during my first week in New York. What do you think I was dreaming about?" Rachel asked drily.

"Murdering Jacob Ben Israel?" Artie joked making everyone giggle.

"No. I was yelling at all of you."

"Rachel used to cry out in her sleep as a little girl too." Mr Berry added. "I thought she grew out of it."

"Oh it was only the once." Indi dismissed. "And she stopped when I threw a pillow at her head."

"It wasn't a pillow, it was your textbook!"

"And when that missed I threw my pillow!"

"Can we have a pillow fight?" Brittany asked sleepily.

"Not after what happened last time." Rachel told her. "Carver needed eight stitches in his calf."

"I definitely can't wait to meet this guy." Matt chuckled which turned into a yawn halfway through.

"How bout you kids just doze until we get home?" Mr Berry suggested. "You'll be too tired to do much tomorrow if you don't."

"Mike's supposed to be coming over at twelve for another dance rehearsal." Rachel yawned reminding Finn more than herself, he'd obviously forgotten evidenced by his loud groan. She didn't bother saying anything else instead she gave in and started to doze in her chair.

"Come on guys, you can't spend the night in the car."

Indi grumbled but nevertheless dragged herself out of the car and towards the house a bleary eyed Matt and Brittany following her. Blinking to keep awake Rachel walked around and pulled Artie's wheelchair out.

"Finn could you just carry him downstairs, it'll be quicker than using his chair." Rachel reasoned, Finn nodded and scooped his friend up.

"Oh Finn my hero!" Artie gushed batting his eye lashes and laughing. Rachel giggled at their spectacle walking behind the two.

"Night Daddy."

'Night pumpkin, don't stay up too late."

Rachel smiled back, she was positive that Indi would already be asleep curled up on one of the air mattresses set up.

"Hey Rachel where's the bathroom?" Finn whispered making her jump.

"Oh you can use mine, I need to change out of these clothes anyway." Rachel said leading the way to her room, Indi and Brittany had convinced her to wear the leather pants from when she sang as Maureen from _Rent_ in class last year, the pants had been coupled with a plain white singlet with a black sequinned bow on the front, her hair in loose waves after being braided all day.

"If I didn't say it before you looked really hot tonight." Finn told her with a blush disappearing into her bathroom.

Trying not to focus on Finn's compliment she went to her walk in robe and hurriedly changed from her concert clothes and into sleep shorts and a singlet both adorned with Teddy's that said 'I'm Beary Tired." She found them adorable.

"Nice pjs."

"Thanks." She said softly feeling her cheeks once again flame up. As she expected Indi was sprawled across one of the air mattresses, Artie was splayed across another with Brittany curled around him, Matt was on the mattress beside them already snoring softly.

"Rachel what are you doing?" Finn whispered watching the petite brunette pulling out her phone.

"They look so cute!" She whispered back snapping a photo of Artie and Brittany. "You can take the bed over there."

Finn nodded and all but collapsed on the mattress pulling the blanket over him. Rachel being the more considerate of the two tip toed to the other mattress which was next to his and carefully laid down adjusting her pillow and blankets to her satisfaction; within minutes she was asleep.

_GLEE!_

**I am almost at the end of writing this fic (cue sad face) but stress less because I have another fic already started that combines several things I love that hopefully you all will love too. **

**As usual I will state my opinion of the latest glee offering; thank god Quinn blew off Finn for Sam and then Sam blew her off for Santana. Here is hoping Finn has enough pride or ego to not take Quinn now that she's been dumped. Also when he finally tells Rachel she is 'forgiven' I hope to God she tells him that she doesn't care because his forgiveness isn't worth much considering he was the one who screwed up in the first place! **


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

"Shouldn't we wake her up?"

"Nah this is too much fun."

"They do look adorable!"

"These pancakes are amazing, can you make some more?"

"What do I look like your maid?"

"Ooh I see movement, I think she's waking up."

Rachel crinkled her eyes carefully rubbing away the grit that had built up in the corners of her eyes.

"Morning sunshine!"

Rachel scowled at Artie, he was awfully chipper. She tried to sit up and that was when she realized that she was encased in two arms, two nicely toned and familiar arms.

"Finn! Wake up!"

Rachel shook him lightly peeling his arms away ignoring the grunt of disagreement at the movement.

"Five more minutes."

"In five minutes Matt's going to eat the last of these banana, strawberry pancakes." Indi teased taking a big bite and moaning in satisfaction in the most exaggerated matter she could muster.

"Sorry." Finn blushed finally opening his eyes and noticing he had pretty much trapped Rachel against his body. "Did someone say pancakes?"

"Yeah Leroy made a whole batch and left them in the oven, they're sooooo good!"

"I can make more, I taught Daddy how to make them." Rachel offered working her hair into a ponytail. "How did everyone sleep?"

Everyone replied in the positive, Artie's grin and mischievous eyes showing just how much he appreciated being able to sleep with a hot girl wrapped around him, a hot girl he had made out with earlier that night.

"Don't worry Rachie." Indi waved her off. "They left extra batter in the fridge, I'm sure Matt or Finn can do it."

"Finn set the kitchen on fire last year." Brittany said wrinkling her nose. "Matt should do it, I don't like my pancakes burnt."

"Fine." Matt made a show of huffing and going upstairs though everyone could tell he was kidding.

"You guys coming?" Artie asked not even remotely embarrassed that Brittany had swept him up in her arms like a Bride and was carrying him towards the stairs.

"We're right behind you." Rachel answered for them both stretching out to touch her toes, her back cracking in the most satisfying way.

"Have you always been so bendy?" Finn asked tilting his head and watching Rachel go through a routine of stretches she obviously did every morning.

Leg pressed against the wall, her head resting against she smiled.

"I'm been in ballet since I was three years old."

Finn stood up and tried to pull his leg like Rachel was doing, losing his balance before it was even near his waist he fell in a heap his fall accompanied by Rachel's giggles.

"I don't think bodies are meant to bend that way." He grumbled getting back up. "Uh sorry about crashing you this morning."

"It wasn't intentional." Rachel said shrugging it off. "So you ready for breakfast?"

"Rachel wait." He reached out and grabbed her arm pausing her on the stairs. "Does this mean we're friends again?"

"We're getting there." She answered slowly. "The hardest part is out of the way; Indi doesn't want to skin you alive anymore."

"After seeing that Josef guy I'm sure she could actually arrange that." Finn shuddered. "I meant what I said Rach, I love you. I can handle being friends first."

"Hey you two hurry up!"

Rachel ran the rest of the way up the stairs her mind still whirling with Finn's second proclamation of love.

"No I'm serious she can do it!"

"You lie!"

"Wouldn't you choke?"

Matt was flipping pancakes, Artie was stuffing his face with the ones already on the table and Indi and Brittany were sitting on the bench giggling.

"Hey Rach show everyone that nasty trick of yours!" Indi demanded.

"No!"

"Oh come on, please?" Brittany pouted using a puppy dog expression.

"Why did you tell them about this anyway?" Rachel asked Indi pointedly.

"They were asking about what you were like in New York." Indi shrugged. "I also told them about how you broke that guys hand."

"Respect." Artie nodded, his face completely serious.

"Fine, I'll do it but it stays in this room!" Rachel warned taking a deep breath.

Everyone's eyes stayed on her face watching in rapt attention as she fit her entire fist in her mouth.

"How can she do that?" Artie asked while Rachel slowly pulled her fist out using a kitchen towel to wipe it clean. "And how did you not throw up?"

"I have no gag reflex." Rachel answered. "And I'm a singer, my mouth is used to stretching to accommodate different sounds."

"Is it wrong that I found that incredibly hot?" Finn whispered to Artie who shook his head, his mind had gone x-rated at the words 'no gag reflex'.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Rachel blushed pushing Indi before hoisting herself up on the counter. "Indi's double-jointed!"

Mid-bite Indi froze under the weight of the groups stares. Heaving a sigh she moved her elbow and pushed it around showing it at the opposite angle it would usually be.

"That is the coolest and most disgusting thing I've ever seen." Brittany squealed reaching over to poke the dangling arm.

"Watch it!" Indi slapped her hand away.

"Pancakes!" Matt interrupted presenting the delicious treat with a flourish.

"So how's the dance training going?"

"Awesome! Mike taught Finn how to flip Rachel and it looks amazing!" Brittany enthused. "We still have to teach you the lift though."

"Mike will be here in half an hour, we need to clean up the basement before he gets here." Rachel groaned.

"Matt and I can handle it." Finn offered Matt looking slightly indignant at having been spoken for, he stuffed the last of his pancake in his mouth motioning for Matt to follow him back downstairs.

Rachel watched him leave, her expression what the others would later term her 'Finn' face. Indi watched her knowingly, the walls she had built up to protect her were slowly coming down, luckily this time the boy of her dreams was actually smart enough to be worthy of it.

_GLEE!_

**Stress less guys, I will be introducing Carver before this is over. I'm not THAT evil! Get excited because in the next chapter will be explosive. Take from that what you will. **

**Now 'Blame it on the alcohol.' Thank god for the complete lack of Fuinn, less happy for Finn being such a dick to Rachel. Loved his explanations of the drunks, I always thought Santana would be a weepy drunk. I didn't find it believable that Rachel would drink so much but I enjoyed it nonetheless. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE RETURN OF HOLLY HOLLIDAY! Excitement! **


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

Finn used his t shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead, Rachel was beaming proudly beside him having successfully ran through all of their duet without a single mistake, Mr Schuester was applauding enthusiastically and his face showed he was quite proud.

"Guys that was fantastic, I think we definitely have our opening number sorted."

"Mike and Brittany were awesome with helping me." Finn said shooting a smile to the two dancers.

"And Artie provided a much needed commentary on how much Finn started to suck less and less." Mike added giving Artie a fist bump. Brittany from her seat in Artie's lap demanded one also, you could see the disgust from Santana at her best friend hanging around with the 'special ed' kids as she had taken to calling them.

"Glad I could be of service."

"Well it certainly paid off." He complimented. "As for last week's assignment, after careful consideration I have decided that the next song for sectionals will be _Can't Get Enough Of Your Love._"

"Hell yeah!" Artie cheered, since the night of Bon Jovi their small group of six had gotten even closer and had decided to do their assignment together. Indi had picked the song, Brittany and Rach choreographed, while the boys played instruments; Matt had learnt to play bass while in Atlanta which worked our perfectly for them.

"So that leaves our big finish undecided." Mr Schuester turned to the board pushing away the map to reveal six songs listed. "We're going to be voting on these songs, if you would like the solo you will need to be ready to perform one of these songs by tomorrow; we'll vote after everyone has performed. Good luck!"

"Oh I so got this!" Mercedes claimed loudly making sure to send her stink eyes towards Rachel.

Rachel to her credit didn't take the bait, instead she diligently took down the songs and their correlating artists in her notes with quick pros and cons for each.

"How are we supposed to sing like a group when we can barely remain civil for practice?" Artie complained rubbing Brittany's shoulders; Santana was being mean to her and she had never been on the receiving end of her best friend's acid tongue.

"Fake it." Indi suggested. "I don't want to be civil to people who refuse to admit to their own shortcomings. Maybe if they actually acknowledged their jackassery."

"Y'all know we can hear you, right?" Mercedes called out loudly. Mr Schuester stayed back deciding to see how this played out.

"Well she does make a good point." Artie agreed turning his chair to face the other group. "Not one of you has made an effort to apologize to Rachel for chasing her away last year."

"We didn't do anything." Tina protested glaring at her ex. "Rachel's the one who should apologize! She trashed us the other week for no reason!"

"That's bull!" Finn all but growled his height making him look intimidating when coupled with a very angry scowl. "You guys are the ones who need to apologize!"

"Looks like Finnocence grew some balls." Santana teased winking at the tall teen and licking her lips.

"Shut up Santana." Matt yelled. "Why are you such a bitch all the time?"

Santana fired back and before long almost everybody was yelling at each other while Mr Schuester just stared; Emma had said he needed to let the kids vent and by the looks of it that idea wasn't so crash hot.

"ALL OF YOU SIT DOWN NOW!"

Yikes, Mr Schuester was scary when his face got all red and vein popping out angry.

"I think all of you need to apologize." He began slowly pacing the front of the room. "And that includes me. Rachel, I am very sorry for never appreciating your enthusiasm and talents, I will admit that I have been guilty of ignoring the way certain students have treated you. I hope you will accept my apology, I guess since you always seemed so driven that I assumed that you just ignored the mean words."

"I appreciate your apology, I can readily admit that I can be determined to the point of annoyance but that was never my intention. The only thing I have ever wanted was for this club to succeed, singing is the only chance I ever have to shine, it is the only time that I feel invincible." Rachel glancing over at the girls and Kurt who were very much in defensive mode. "But it was never my intention to make other people feel insecure in themselves or their abilities, after a year of the most gruelling criticism a person can receive I understand that my words, though not intended that way, may have caused upset for some of my peers and for that I am sorry."

"Thank you Rachel." Mr Schuester looked around. "Anyone next?"

The room remained quiet the floor suddenly much more interesting than anything else in the room.

"Don't bother Mr Schuester." Finn told him. "They still don't think they've done anything wrong."

Turning away he led the storm out, Matt the last one out making sure to slam the door.

"I'm really disappointed in you guys." Mr Schuester walked to the piano and grabbed his stuff together. "I thought you were better than this, I guess I expected too much from you all. Glee club is cancelled until further notice."

"Pfft. Who does he think he is?" Santana bitched glaring at the space Mr Schuester had been standing in.

"Shut up Santana." Mike yelled standing up. "I am so sick of staying quiet and listening to you!"

"Mike!"

"No Tina, I'm sick of it. Rachel is a good person, sure she can be a little self-absorbed but so can all of us! You need to tell her you're sorry."

"Why should I? Do you remember when she quit the club just because Mr Schue gave me the _West Side Story_ solo?" Tina reminded him.

"I love you Tina but I can't be with you while you're acting like this." Mike held up his hands and walked away backwards. "I'm done."

"Mike wait!"

"She's ruining everything!" Quinn complained sourly. "Everything was fine until stubbles showed up back here."

"Put some ice on it." Puck snapped. "The only reason you even hate Berry is because Hudson loves her when he never loved you."

"Real nice way to talk to your girlfriend, ass." Mercedes growled.

"It's true." Puck insisted. "I love you Quinn but you don't give a damn because I'm not the perfect Ken doll to your Barbie."

"Screw you Puck!" Quinn shouted reaching out to slap him.

"You've already done that once, remember sweetheart?" Puck caught her hand and blew her a kiss.

"Quinn he was so out of line-" Sam started seizing an opportunity to make Quinn his own.

"Leave me alone you creepy stalker!" Quinn scream wrenching his hand away from her. "I wish Mr Schuester had never created this stupid Glee club, it's ruined my life!"

No one made a move to run after the crying Quinn, well actually Sam did but Santana held him back.

"Let preggers cry and whine about her pathetic existence." She told him. "How about we get better acquainted?"

She was steaming from Matt calling her a bitch and really needed someone to take care of her itch that hadn't been completely scratched in far too long. Like all teenage boys Sam took the bait and followed her, his eyes glued to the swishing skirt giving him a great view of her ass.

"Can you believe the nerve of that wannabe Barbra?" Mercedes complained to Kurt, the only two now left in the room.

"It pains me to admit this but she may have a point." Kurt sighed. "The only reason I even spoke to her was to benefit my own interests and after Finn told his mum about what's been going on, she told my dad and I got the lecture of a lifetime."

"You can't seriously be thinking of apologizing to that self centred witch?"

"I have to live with Finn and since she's been back he has been happy, really happy. How can I make her life miserable just because I don't like that she is confident in her voice?" He replied. "Mr Schue is right, we've been treating her poorly purely because of her talent and that's not fair. We didn't ostracise Quinn for cheating on Finn and lying about her baby for six months and that is far worse than anything little Rachel Berry has done. She may be tactless but she isn't cruel."

"That was different!" Mercedes protested, she liked Quinn and she didn't like Rachel that was the difference.

"Mercedes you are my best friend." Kurt said slowly. "Do you remember your ill-fated crush on me? Who was it that tried to safe you from that? She's not all bad, you and I both suffer from the same shortcomings, wounded pride and ego."

"That's crazy talk!"

"Think what you want but I'm going to apologize, Rachel was right in her assessment of me and it makes me sick to think that for even a second I made her feel how Karofsky makes me feel."

"Hold on there Kurt, we never-"

"Treated her like she had the plague? Complained pretty much whenever she opened her mouth? Laughed when other's belittled her or slusheed her?" Kurt pressed scooping up his bag. "You know I'm right. We haven't been fair to her because of our own selfish reasons."

"This is the twilight zone right? Because there is no way my boy Kurt Hummel is actually saying this."

"I swear on every Ralph Lauren coat in my closet that this is me." He vowed going so far as to place his hand across his chest. "I just think it's time we all grew up a little."

Waving goodbye to his best friend Kurt beat a hasty exit leaving Mercedes behind to think on what he had said, it wasn't like he wanted the drama completely gone; he loved the drama. He just loved having a happy brother and thus a much more bearable living situation more.

_GLEE!_

**This week we are GLEE-less, on one hand I'm glad to be spared any Finn/Quinng grossness- they hold holds at Regionals? Excuse me while I vomit. And yet apparently our favourite OTP are back together next week? Let's just say I'm not holding my breath. **

**I like the two original songs, especially love that it's all Rachel because she has the strongest voice of the cast. Quinn's voice is 'pretty' but she couldn't support the whole group and she has very little range. That being said she can sing a hell of a lot better than me! I just think it's sad that we have to pretend that everyone in GLEE have amazing voices when obviously Rachel, Mercedes and Brittany have far superior vocals! **


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

Just ignore the stares; they'll go away. It was a mantra, one Rachel had repeated to herself a lot over the years. She needed it today of all days because the daycare was closed because of some stupid health scare and both of her father's were stuck at work, Figgins had approved of Rachel bring Beth to school on the proviso she did not interrupt classes. It had been a trying few weeks, from having to deal with Santana and Quinn to Kurt's sincere albeit surprising apology; Mike had been true to his word and avoided his girlfriend choosing instead to repair his friendship with Matt. No other friendships were on the mend; Kurt's apology meant his friendship with Mercedes who refused to budge was suffering, Puck and Quinn seemed to be on the rocks and that blonde kid Sam was always around her.

"There's my gorgeous niece!" Indi cooed planting a kiss on Beth's cheek. "I told you guys that daycare centre sucked."

"I'm sure everything will be cleared up by tomorrow." Rachel said with confidence she didn't exactly feel. "Of course now I have to dispel the rumours that the real reason I left last year was to have an illegitimate child; depending on whom you ask it is either Finn's, Puck's or Jacob's."

"I heard it was Mr Schue's." Artie added having just joined the conversation.

"Got to love the high school rumour mill." Rachel sighed placing her books in Beth's stroller and making a silly face at her sister. "As long as you don't suddenly start calling me mama I think we'll be fine."

"Wow it's true, tubbers did have a baby." Santana sneered. "She really does want to be you Quinn."

"I know they say imitation is a form of flattery but it just makes me want to vomit." Quinn replied wrinkling her nose.

"Don't you do that after every meal anyway?" Brittany asked not even realizing she was insulting the other blonde.

"Shut up you half wit!"

"Leave her alone Quinn!" Artie yelled defending his girlfriend, Beth started to cry at all the commotion giving Rachel at least a reason to glare darkly at the two cheerios.

"Come here sweetie." Rachel said gently pulling her sister from the pram and settling her against her chest.

"_Beth I hear you calling  
but I can't come home right now  
me and the boys are playing,  
and we just can't find the sound._

_Just a few more hours  
and I'll be right home to you  
I think I hear them calling  
Oh Beth what can I do?  
Beth what can I do?"_

She sang softly, Jackson had been the first to sing the song to the munchkin as he called her and ever since it calmed her instantly.

"What did you just sing?" Quinn demanded the blood having drained from her face.

"What business is that of yours?" Rachel snapped settling Beth back in her pram now that she was calm. "Sorry Beth needs changing, I'll meet you in Spanish."

Indi and Brittany offered to come with since Brittany needed to reapply her make up.

"This really wasn't built for changing babies on." Rachel griped making a face at the smell of the diaper.

"She smells like my cat after she has an accident." Brittany said wrinkling her nose.

"What was with Boob Job and Ex-Preggers outside?" Indi asked hoisting herself up next to the sink.

"Indi just because we don't like them doesn't mean we should resort to calling them names; that makes us no better than them." Rachel lectured multi-tasking this with redressing Indi in her pink tights and white dress fastening the shiny black Mary Janes carefully.

"She looks like a princess!" Brittany squealed touching the silver crown barrette Rachel had fastened in her golden curls.

"Princess Beth." Indi laughed. "It is what Leroy call her."

"Just like Quinn and Puck's baby!" The naïve blonde exclaimed pausing in her application of lip gloss.

"Wait, what did you say?" Rachel asked rocking the stroller back and forth, hopefully lulling her sister back to sleep.

"Puck and Quinn named their baby Beth before they gave her away." Brittany replied eying her makeup critically. "I thought they should call her Mittens like my cat."

"There's no way-"

"In my life, with my luck there is definitely a way." Rachel said wryly cutting off Indi. "Just don't let me freak out until there's proof."

"What do you want us to do, steal Quinn and Puck's saliva for a DNA test during chem lab?" Indi suggested sarcastically.

"We're late for Spanish." Brittany reminded them before Rachel could retort. "I don't want to have to wear the sombrero of retardedness again."

"Tardiness Britters." Indi corrected leading the girls out of the bathroom and towards their classroom. "Or _tarde_ in Espagnol!"

"I've never had that cheese before."

Rachel could of course hear this exchange going on in front of her but it was in one ear and out the other her mind focussing on one thing and one thing only; was her sister actually Puck and Quinn's baby?

_GLEE_

"I guess she never thought of getting rid of her pregnancy weight!"

"It's true what they say; guys really will sleep with anything."

Finn growled at the cheerios gossiping loudly behind him, he didn't hit girls but he wanted to hit those ones.

"It's her sister not her daughter." He told them glaring. "So why don't you just shut up?"

"Wow all of sudden Finn Hudson thinks he's good enough to talk to us? Freak."

"Shouldn't you be gossiping about Nadine's botched nose job? Or is Lacey's latest pregnancy scare more interesting today?" Kurt sniped taking a seat next to Finn. "Those girls are such vultures."

"Really?" Finn snorted in faux surprise. "It sounds just like you and the girls in glee."

"Come on Finn can't we get over this?" Kurt asked in exasperation. "I already apologized to Rachel and Artie and they've both forgiven me why can't you?"

"It takes more than apology to show you're sorry dude."

Believe him, he knew. He also knew neither Rachel nor Artie had forgiven Kurt they had merely signed a truce, they wouldn't be having sleepovers anytime soon.

"Well I'm definitely not going to do whatever it was that made her forgive you, I'm fairly certain that it would scar me for life!" Kurt exclaimed making a grossed out face. "I've already tried talking to Mercedes and it was useless!"

"Try harder."

Kurt silently fumed at his step brother who was now pretending to pay attention to the lesson even going so far as to take notes. How was he supposed to convince the members of the 'I-Hate-Rachel-Berry' club that they were wrong? It was a harder task than convincing Coach Sylvester that cheerleading wasn't a sport; impossible!

Finn ignored Kurt for the rest of the class only speaking to tell people to shut up about Rachel; he couldn't believe he had ever valued these people's opinions. Why would he want to be popular if it meant being an inconsiderate jackass.

"Indi!"

"What's up Frankenteen?" The girl in question asked with a smile; he'd learnt that a horrible nickname was some kind of initiation with her; just don't call her Barney if you liked all your limbs attached to your body.

"The usual; everyone's talking trash about Rachel; is she okay?"

"The rumour mill is actually the last thing on her mind right now." Indi answered pulling him towards the choir room which was empty like she assumed. "What do you know about who Quinn gave her baby to?"

"I have no idea." Finn said with a shrug. "I ignored anything to do with it after I found out the truth. Mike would probably know; Tina tells him everything."

Indi nodded blowing at her bangs that fell in her eyes.

"You really care about her don't you?" She asked almost out of nowhere.

"Yeah, I do."

"Good, she's going to need you." Indi walked towards the door. "Come on we're late for English."

"Wait! What are you talking about?" He yelled trailing after her, but it was no use, she'd said what she needed to.

_GLEE!_

**I am on a serious hating Quinn kick, I'm re-watching all the old eps to keep my obsession at bay and I am finding myself hating her more and more! She infuriates me as a character and Ryan Murphy really needs to flesh her out so that she isn't such a stereotypical cheerleader bitch! **


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

Rachel skipped the rest of the day; she'd text Indi and Artie letting them now she was going home, she felt only a little guilty at her lie that Beth had a temperature. She did feel a little warm anyway.

"Where is your birth certificate?" Rachel asked Beth not really expecting an answer; her father's kept everything neatly in files but it seemed that one vital document was missing; most likely packed away in a box of Shelby's personal effects.

"You should really get a better lock Berry, I picked that in ten seconds."

Thankfully she had already settled Beth in her bouncy chair or else she would have thrown her when she jumped in fright.

"What are you doing here Puck?" She snapped, she already guessed his answer though.

"Quinn freaked out at lunch, couldn't catch much except Beth and Rachel." He explained for once without his signature smirk or sarcasm. "Santana happily filled in the blanks."

"I can't find her birth certificate." Rachel told him. "It's the only way we can be sure."

"She may be a year older but I can still recognize my baby girl's face." Puck reached down and scooped her up expertly; he had had a lot of practice with his younger sister. "Hey there pretty girl."

"I should have suspected something." Rachel groaned. "How did this happen? It's like a twist in one of those ridiculously over the top teen dramas on TV."

"We made it to Regionals, we just had Jacob mime in the background and Mercedes sang your solos." He explained slowly his eyes drawn to the little girl who kept grabbing his nose. "There was this coach of a rival choir, she showed up at the hospital after Beth was born. She adopted her."

"Shelby Corcoran." Rachel filled in. "My biological mother."

"Small world."

"She died a few months ago, my fathers were listed as guardians. She didn't have any family." Rachel said emotionlessly. "Except for a daughter who she told to never contact her again."

"We had no idea." Puck looked at the petite brunette something akin to pity on his face; she hated being pitied. "It was an open adoption but Quinn refuses to even talk about Beth. I used to get pictures but nothing for the last few months, I guess I know why now."

"My Dads are completely besotted with Beth, I don't know if they can be persuaded to give her back to a seventeen year old high school boy."

"I can't support her." Puck frowned. "I know that, and I know your Dads can give her everything she could ever want. She deserves to have that kind of life; I just want to be able to see her, hold her, you know?"

"Noah you are welcome to visit with Beth anytime." She told him gently brushing at her sister's curls. She was still her sister regardless of her genealogy. "But I wont let her be around you while you insist on being a juvenile delinquent. You have to stop throwing slushees and tossing kids into dumpsters. You have a daughter, it's time you grew up a bit."

Puck nodded slowly, he knew that but it was far easier to hide behind his bad-ass persona than it was to admit that he had dreams outside of this town, that he actually cared about people. That kind of thing got you killed in high school, Rachel knew that all too well.

"My mum will probably kick me in the nads if I don't clean up my act soon anyway." Puck chuckled trying to put on his usual swagger.

"We're at temple every Sunday if she ever wants to see her granddaughter." Rachel offered.

"She's being raised Jewish?" Puck smiled, a real genuine smile. "Now she wont have to pray for my and Beth's immortal souls."

"What are you going to tell Quinn?"

"I don't know, like I said she doesn't talk about her at all but she should know, she has a right to know who's raising her kid." He pointed out ruefully. "I know she hasn't treated you well but if she wanted to see Beth you'd let her right?"

"I'm offended by the notion that I would allow something as petty as Quinn's constant need to insult others to ensure her own self-worth, to come between a mother and child."

"I've tried talking to her, Kurt and Brittany have too but she's stubborn." He offered her a small smile. "But you've got almost everyone in Glee on your side and Quinn always was one to follow the crowd."

"I've noticed." Rachel commented drily. "I'd rather not be there when you tell her, I can put on a brave face but her insults do hurt and I'd rather not have more horrible nicknames forever etched in my brain."

"I'll give you the heads up once I've told her." Puck promised. "Glee should be starting soon; you coming?"

Rachel shook her head motioning to Beth.

"I don't think that would be a great idea right now, but tell everyone I'll be back tomorrow."

Puck nodded reluctantly putting Beth back in her bouncy chair, she was smacking her lips at him; her version of a kiss goodbye.

"Later Berry."

She waved after him waiting for the slam of the door before sinking to her knees and crying; over what she didn't exactly know. It was the kind of crying that was freeing; she was feeling too much and she needed to let it all out. Her life had just been turned on its head again, why was it that when she was just finding her footing everything had to collapse? Life really was a bitch.

_GLEE_

True to his word Rachel received a text that night. She'd explained everything to her fathers who immediately called Puck's mother to extend an invitation to visit Beth whenever she wanted. Quinn was acting as though nothing had changed, her insults had more bite but she hadn't come after her with an axe or anything. Thank you for that horror movie marathon for giving her such ideas.

She had no idea why Mr Shuester had called a glee club meeting, the club was still suspended, but she'd been called out of her class to go to the choir room.

"She's glaring at you again."

"Thanks for the update." Rachel said drily. "I can actually feel the burn of it on the side of my head. I'm just waiting for her to crack, I'm sick of wondering if this is the day she's finally going to scream at me."

"Rachel!"

The brunette looked up in alarm; Indi never used her full name, not unless there was something seriously wrong.

"Indi what's wrong?"

She pulled her best friend out into the hall which offered a modicum of privacy.

"Are you okay? Did something happen to Jackson?" She asked in rapid fire her mind already going to worse case scenarios.

"No, it's not that." Indi assured her. "It's nothing bad really."

"You know better than to worry me like that!" Rachel scolded her holding a hand to her hammering heart.

"Well it is kind of serious." Indi admitted. "I'm going to miss you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Rachel, I'm going back to New York. My flight leaves tomorrow." She told her slowly instinctively bunching up her shoulders as protection against Rachel's shriek. It never came.

"Why?"

It was her broken voice, the one that cut straight to the bone.

"I came with you to make sure you would be okay here, that you would have support. And you have that now; you have Artie and Matt and Finn. That boy loves you."

"But why do you have to leave?" Rachel asked blinking back tears.

"Because you don't need me here anymore." Indi told her simply. "You're strong enough to take on these punks."

"But-"

"No buts girlie! It's only a few months and then you'll be back in the big apple with me in the loft Jackson bought me for my graduation present." Indi reminded her. "You can do this, you need to do this, show everyone just how strong and kick ass you really are."

"I'm going to miss you so much!"

"Pfft, we'll be skyping so much you wont even realize I'm gone. Besides I'll be back at winter break, unless I'm there to hold his hand there is no way Carver is getting on a plane, the big baby." Indi snorted rolling her eyes. "Come on, I have another surprise for you before I leave."

The two girls re entered the room, Mr Shue coming in just behind them.

"Mr. Shuester glad you could make it. I have an announcement to make." Indi called out standing in front of the piano. "I'm going back to New York."

Every variation of what? Why? And when? Were heard.

"Let's face it, I'm not exactly built to be the small town girl and Rachel's got friends here now, she doesn't need me to protect her." Indi shrugged. "And I really miss Shlagel's Bagels."

"This sucks." Artie sulked, Matt and Brittany nodded their agreement.

"Don't worry I already found someone to take my place so that the ratio is still even." She told them. "I think you all know Lauren?"

"The beached whale?" Santana exclaimed glaring at the female wrestler. "Isn't there a weight cut off?"

"I will end you." Lauren told her cracking her knuckles and smirking at the girl.

"Enough!" Mr Schuester yelled. "Indi I appreciate your forethought but Glee is still suspended."

"You may as well disband the club because I am not apologising to that troll!" Santana shouted pointing at Rachel.

"I don't want her apology." Rachel shot back. "She's not sorry and she never will be and I'd rather ignore her than have to listen to a forced apology with no sincerity."

"Oh is the little orphan too good for an apology now?"

"Didn't you hear? She's too good for everyone."

"SHUT UP ALL OF YOU!"

The unexpected outburst from Finn immediately had everyone silent and back in their chairs. Even Santana and Quinn were quiet although their glares spoke volumes.

"Seriously, I don't know why you guys have to be such bitches all the time but just stop!" He yelled pointing to the two cheerios. "You guys are mean and act like just because you're cheerleaders you must be better than everyone!"

"We're Cheerios, we are better than everyone else." Santana countered standing up and smoothing her skirt. "This uniform proves I'm better than all those other losers including Berry."

"You're not better than me Santana." Rachel said standing up for herself. "And I don't care if you think you are because I know that I'm getting out of this town and I'm going to live my dream and when that happens you'll still be here because the only job you'll ever have will be working on a pole!"

Puck backed up giving the girls room for what he presumed would be a cat fight. Santana looked shocked, she'd never guessed the midget would have it in her.

"Oh it is so on!" Santana yelled running at Rachel, Artie held Finn back Indi's sly grin told him that Rachel would be okay on her own.

The petite brunette easily flipped the Latina over her shoulder using her own force against her, she rolled the girl over and twisted her arm behind her back kneeling against it.

"You try that again and I'll do worse than flip you on your butt." Rachel said sweetly; not a threat but a promise. She got up and walked away from her slowly expecting the girl to try again, this time she stepped out of the way and Santana ran into the chairs.

"Some people just don't listen." Artie stage whispered to Matt who snickered offering his fist for Artie to bump.

"Mr Shuester I advise you to restrain Santana, if she provokes me again it will be an unevenly matched fight and I do not wish to harm her severely." Rachel all but ordered the Glee coach.

"Huh?" Brittany mumbled crinkling her eyes.

"Rachey and I did Krav Maga while we were in New York." Indi explained to the blonde.

"Isn't that in China?"

Mr Shuester was doing his best to hold the cheerleader but she fought dirty stomping on his heel and swinging her arm to hit Rachel.

"That was kind of hot." Puck whispered to Matt, Rachel had Santana twisted like a pretzel calmly telling her to stop. The fact that two girls were both wearing skirts that barely covered their asses definitely helped.

"I don't want to hold onto her all afternoon." Rachel groaned tightening her grip against the protesting and increasingly angry girl. "Stop squirming! You're only hurting yourself right now!"

"God! Santana we get it, you're tough!" Mercedes yelled completely exasperated. "Now would you give it up already?"

"Thank you Mr Schuester." Rachel breathed blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

"I don't care if you like each other or not, but you will respect each other." Finn said slowly. "Coach Tanaka used to say that to us all the time. He ripped it off from _Remember The Titans_."

"That part didn't matter, he was right. We're supposed to be a team." Mike spoke up. "Rachel apologised because yeah she can be critical but she isn't cruel. You guys are and you need to get over it because we all want to win Sectionals. We all love glee and that's what matters. Or at least it's supposed to."

"I think that's the most I've ever heard you talk Mike." Mr Schuester laughed. "And you are absolutely right."

"Is this when we all get in a circle and sing the Barney song?" Santana sniped rubbing her wrists; Mr Schuester had a firm grasp on her arm and Mercedes had clamped down on the other one while Rachel moved away accepting the arm Finn threw around her shoulder.

"Why are you so bitter?" She asked. "My whole schooling experience you have gone out of your way to make me and all the other people you consider losers feel worthless. Even now, when we are trying to move forward as a group; if not as friends then at least as team mates, you're still being horrible!"

"I'm honest!" Santana defended herself. "Somebody has to keep it real around here."

"There's a line between honest and cruel." Mr Schuester interjected. "You need to learn to distinguish between the two, you will respect each other and if you can't do that you're out."

"You can't kick me out!"

"He's not kicking you out." Matt told her rolling his eyes. "He's saying that unless we all work together the club may as well be over because what's the point?"

"I have the perfect song for this." Rachel declared her eyes sparkling.

"Any excuse to sing." Quinn mumbled under her breath.

"Any excuse to belittle me." Rachel snapped back. "I'm sick of your attitude Quinn! I'm sick of hearing you try to break me because you're so miserable!"

She grabbed a guitar from the instruments lined against the wall strumming it experimentally tuning it carefully; Artie had been teaching her and she was fairly proficient on the instrument now. She glared at the two girls who were so hellbent on ruining her life. She had originally thought of suggesting this song for the group's pre-Sectionals assembly performance but she felt it was necessary for her to perform it now.

"_You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me.  
__You have knocked me off my feet again got me feeling like I'm nothing.  
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard, calling me out when I'm wounded.  
You, pickin' on the weaker man."_

She couldn't stand and strut around the room, or close her eyes, she had to rely purely on the music and her voice to express the emotions.

"_Well, you can take me down with just one single blow.  
But you don't know what you don't know."_

Finn had taken to the drums and was banging along with her, easily picking up the beat.

"_Someday I'll be living in a big old city.  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean.  
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me.  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean."_

She focussed her gaze on the two cheerios who were looking at her wholly unimpressed.

"_Why you gotta be so mean?"_

She tried to concentrate on the guitar; multitasking between playing and singing was difficult but she was pushing through.

"_You, with your switching sides and your walk-by lies and your humiliation.  
You, have pointed out my flaws again as if I don't already see them.  
I'll walk with my head down trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you.  
I just wanna feel okay again._

_I'll bet you got pushed around, somebody made you cold.  
But the cycle ends right now 'cause you can't lead me down that road.  
And you don't know what you don't know."_

Artie took the guitar off Rachel having picked the tune up and allowing her to sing the way she did best; pushing every emotion into it.

"_Someday I'll be living in a big old city.  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean.  
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me.  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean._

_Why you gotta be so mean?"_

Her gaze slid over the group; some with encouraging smiles, a few with scowls. It didn't bother her; well it did but not enough for her to go home and cry about it. She was better than that now; she didn't need their approval. Or want it.

"_And I can see you years from now in a bar, talking over a football game.  
With that same big loud opinion but nobody's listening.  
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things.  
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing._

_But all you are is mean.  
All you are is mean and a liar and pathetic and alone in life.  
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean."_

She reached out and grabbed Brittany to dance with her beaming when she started singing along. Not to be outdone Indi joined in standing on the other side and acting as back up.

"_But someday I'll be living in a big old city.  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean, yeah.  
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me.  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean._

_Why you gotta be so mean?_

_Someday, I'll be, living in a big old city.  
(Why you gotta be so mean?)  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean.  
(Why you gotta be so mean?)  
Someday, I'll be big enough so you can't hit me.  
(Why you gotta be so mean?)  
And all you're ever gonna be is mean."_

Spinning around she allowed Mike and Matt to hoist her on to the piano crossing her legs and entwining her ankles before fixing her eyes back on Quinn and Santana.

"_Why you gotta be so mean?"_

Matt high fived Rachel once she jumped off the piano, Artie made to touch her but pulled his hand away quickly blowing on his fingers.

"Hot damn! You're on fire girl!" He exclaimed looping an arm around Brittany who was as was usual now, in his lap.

"That was awesome." Brittany agreed. "They are mean, that was the point of the song right?"

"Brit!" Santana yelled, she looked wounded that her best friend had called her mean.

"Santana you're my best friend but she's right." Brittany frowned at her. "You don't need to be mean, let everyone see who you really are, who you are with me."

"And who you were with me." Matt added. "The girl I actually liked."

"Besides we already know you're a loser. You're in glee after all." Mike teased earning a sharp jab in his ribs from Matt. "Hey I'm a loser, I've been in dance classes since I was a kid but I was always too afraid to tell anyone."

"And we all know I'm a loser." Artie contributed. "I wear sweater vests!"

"I think they're sexy." Brittany declared claiming her boyfriends lips.

"You've got to own it." Puck said. "I'm a badass and a jew who goes to temple every Sunday and I'm not ashamed of that."

"You only go to temple because you're afraid of your mother." Rachel pointed out smothering a giggle.

"The woman hits hard!" He protested. "And she can guilt trip like no other!"

"It must be in the secret mum's training book." Finn laughed. "Right after always start a lecture with 'I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.' That bites."

"Dagger. Heart." Mercedes agreed pantomiming the action.

"Hey we all just got along for five minutes." Kurt smirked. "I say we push our luck and actually have a glee club meeting while we got this good vibe going."

The kids turned to Mr. Schuester expectantly, he in turn was looking at Quinn and Santana who seemed to be talking through glares.

"This doesn't mean that I like you." Quinn sneered at Rachel defiantly jutting out a hip.

"Likewise." Rachel replied with a tight smile.

"Okay guys, I guess Glee club is officially back in session." Mr Schuester declared, a fake smile gracing his lips, his eyes telling how unsure he really was.

_GLEE!_

**In honor of the epic series finale of GREEK you all get a supersized update! There is roughly 15 pages left of my little story here. Can't wait for tonights eppy! I've been seriously deprived of my glee :(**


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

It was like very fine needles in her back; everywhere she went she could feel them in her back, the looks from friends, enemies and strangers alike.

"Did she get in alright?" Artie asked pulling up next to Rachel at her locker. The inside of her door was plastered with pictures from their night out at Bon Jovi as well as pictures of her and Indi and the guy he knew to be Carver making silly faces.

"Carver picked her up and she inhaled a hot dog within minutes." Rachel replied with a laugh. "She said she misses us but it felt good to smell the smog again."

"You must miss her."

"Of course but I'll be seeing her again soon." Rachel closed her locker and lead them in the direction of their class. "Besides we have to focus on Sectionals."

"And making sure Santana and Quinn don't try to kill you before then." Artie added not even joking.

"I've accepted that we will never be more than people who attend the same school and belong to the same Glee club; it would be nice if they could leave me to live my life in peace but I doubt it will happen."

"Yeah I don't think that's likely." Artie agreed pointing out the two cheerios who were ahead smirking at them, obvious malice in their eyes. "That doesn't look good."

"So Berry will you still have that bark now that your little bitch has gone back home?" Santana taunted.

"There's only one bitch I know and it's you!" Mercedes interjected, Rachel turned surprised to see the diva backing her up. "Why don't you just get over whatever this is and move on?"

"Oh so now you're on the freaks side too?" Quinn scoffed. "I thought we were friends?"

"We were." Mercedes agreed. "Until you started acting like the holier than thou mean girl you were last year. I thought having Beth had given you perspective, I thought you'd changed. But I was so wrong, and I was acting just like you until my man Kurt gave me the wake up call that I seriously needed."

"Kurt?" Artie mouthed to Rachel who shook her head; she hadn't known that he had spoken to Mercedes about her.

"Rachel I'm sorry for acting like such a bitch to you." Mercedes apologized sincerely. "You were right to call me out like you did. I was loving the spotlight that I got with you gone and I treated you like crap because I didn't want to give it up."

"I can definitely relate." Rachel laughed. "Thank you for apologizing."

"Well like Kurt says, us Divas need to stick together."

Impulsively Mercedes hugged the smaller girl, Kurt was right when it really came down to it her reasons for hating on Rachel were stupid and childish. She didn't want to be a Karofsky or Azimio, that's not how she wants to be remembered.

"Do my eyes deceive me or are these two divas hugging?" Kurt cried saddling up beside Artie.

"I was just apologizing." Mercedes explained, pulling away from Rachel. "I'm sorry for cutting you out too Artie, Tina's my girl but I didn't mean to just abandon you."

"Thanks." Artie nodded curtly, he was still weary of all of these people apologizing and suddenly seeing the error of their ways; he knew Rachel was apprehensive too, she was too stiff, her face too tight.

"Come on Q, let's get out of here before they start holding hands and infect us with their hippie germs." Santana spat out holding out her pinkie.

Quinn hesitated, Mercedes words had hurt more than she wanted to let on; she didn't want to be that girl again; Mercedes had been their for her when everyone else including Santana had ditched her.

"Hey losers."

The blue slushee was expected but that didn't make it any less embarrassing. It barely hit Rachel since Mercedes was standing in front of her; she and Kurt had taken the brunt of the icy beverage the blue sticking to their clothes and hair.

"Jokes on you fool! Blueberry's my favourite flavour!" Mercedes yelled after the snickering footballers.

"See you later Violet Beauregarde!" Santana called waving her fingers over her shoulder, Quinn following after her, the slushee facial the two had just received had definitely reminded her exactly why she needed to stay with Santana and the cheerios.

"I know people who could make it look like an accident." Rachel growled darkly, Kurt looked mildly afraid whereas Mercedes and Artie seemed intrigued.

"This was a new sweater!" Kurt grumbled pulling the increasingly sticky sweater from his skin.

"Artie, you help Kurt, I'll help Mercedes. Do you guys have spare clothes in your locker?"

"We keep contingency clothes in the back of Kurt's car." Mercedes replied. "I think I'm going to use the girl's locker room and shower, they just had to use jumbo cups."

"Me too, I need to exfoliate before I break out in hives." Kurt agreed. "Let's go get our clothes, we're going to miss most of next period as it is."

"You guys go shower, I'll get your clothes." Rachel volunteered holding her hand for his keys.

"Thanks Rachel." Kurt tossed her his keys and made a beeline for the gym Mercedes following after him.

"So are we believing them?" Artie asked wheeling after Rachel as she headed for the car park easily identifying Kurt's car by its custom paint job; who else in Lima would have a bright Tiffany's box blue car with bedazzled personalized license plates?

"They apologized." Rachel began cautiously reaching for the clothes in the back. "And they stood up to Quinn and Santana. I don't really feel like spending the rest of the year in a constant fight with people we have to spend time with everyday. We already have to deal with everybody else in the school, it would be nice to have some civility in Glee."

"But."

"But we should remain cautious." Rachel acknowledged handing Artie the clothes and shutting the boot. "It wouldn't be the first time someone from Glee acted like a friend for purely selfish means."

"Good, Jackson said he'd kick my ass if I let you get screwed over again." Artie told her. "You don't even what to know what Indi promised to do."

"I've heard her threats, the imagery stays with you for weeks." She shuddered. "You go in after Kurt, I'll take the divine Miss M."

"I thought they were finally over slushees, they haven't pulled that in months." Mercedes grumbled angrily pulled on her emergency jeans and hoodie. "Damn hockey losers."

"Don't let some future barfly upset you."

"Am I talking to the same Rachel Berry who staged storm outs over people not respecting the impact Barbra Streisand had on the entertainment industry?" Mercedes joked, she had to yell over the noise of the hairdryer she had stowed away in her locker for these such occurrences.

Rachel smiled tightly biting her tongue from retorting something, their delicate truce should last longer than ten minutes. Mercedes phone jingled and she started texting away.

"It's Tina, she heard about the sneak attack." She explained. "The grapevine at this school works faster than TMZ."

"And are usually even more inaccurate." Rachel said sourly, she was still hearing rumours about her love child, apparently Indi was her lesbian lover and left after she found out Rachel had had a child. She honestly worried about how rumours spread around these halls.

"Girl you weren't even here for the Mr. Schue fathered Quinn's baby rumour drama-rama." Mercedes remarked rolling her eyes; her hair was more floofy than she liked but with her hat it was passable. "We're pretty sure Coach Sylvester started that one though."

Rachel smothered a laugh; it did sound like something Coach Sylvester would do, she was actually surprised the scary tracksuit wearing woman hadn't tried anything to ruin their chance at Sectionals.

"Let's go, even with my mad skills this hair is not getting any better." Mercedes pointed at her hair which did actually resemble a poodle that had gotten a seriously bad perm. Rachel merely nodded and followed Mercedes out, it wasn't such a wonder how gossip spread in this school she was looking at its number one source.

_GLEE!_

She was seriously considering throwing the stupid plastic thing at the wall. She was a professional and as such didn't get nervous, of course that didn't mean she didn't like being able to call Indi and Carver for moral support before a big performance.

"Rach it's not going to work if you snap it in half." Finn said slowly carefully pulling the phone out of Rachel's hand and giving it to Artie who pocketed it.

"I've never seen you freak out over a performance before." Kurt said. "It's freaking me out."

"This isn't a freak out. A freak out involves far more hysteria, broken things and if it's especially dramatic she's even been known to break out in song."

Rachel's head whipped around so fast there were more than few who swore it looked just like _The Exorcist, _she ran and threw herself at the rather tall teen. Santana was eying him up and down; his face was long and angular, his hair closely shaved. She probably would have hit on him if her gaydar hadn't started dinging the second he entered the room.

"What are you doing here?"

Her question was muffled by her face in his neck but thankfully he was fluent in Berry.

"Can't a guy visit his favourite hag?" He replied finally surrendering her from his arms.

"I was your hag first." Indi reminded him coming up from behind him and smacking his head. "And stop hogging the gratitude this was my idea since we finished classes yesterday."

"That's Carver." Artie whispered to Finn who shook his head; even he'd figured that one out. Rachel was now hugging Indi and speaking so quickly it was impossible to understand.

"So am I crazy or where adorable old people rocking out in that theatre?" Carver asked taking a seat on a couch pulling his two girls with him.

"They're our competition, they were drawn out to perform first." Rachel explained. "Then the Warblers and then us."

"Warblers? As in the Dalton Academy?"

"You've heard of it?" Indi sounded surprised considering Carver's range of knowledge was generally limited to music, fashion and hot guys.

"My cousin Blaine goes there, he's their soloist." He explained. "I told you guys to look him up if you needed a surrogate me."

"That tall drink of handsome is your cousin?" Kurt almost hyperventilated. "I met him at the snack bar and it was love at first sight."

"That sounds like Blaine." Carver laughed. "Guys and girls are always falling in love with him and he never notices."

"Shouldn't you be in the middle of your vocal warm up?" Indi teased, one of the first things drilled into them at LaGuardia was the importance of preparing your voice, mind and body before a big performance.

"I tried, I was outvoted." Rachel told them sourly. "How long are you guys here?"

"Well since you only have three more days of school before Christmas break your dads agreed to let us stay. I'll just have to entertain Carver here until you're free to do it."

"Right because there is just so much to see and do in Lima, Ohio." Artie joked. "You can take him to Breadstix, the bowling alley or the roller rink beyond that this town is kind of sad."

"After New York every town is sad sweetpea." Carver told him patting his hand. "Lucky I bought Patti LuPone's new book to read. And a few home movies."

"Carver, no!"

"Come on babe you looked hot!" He pouted. "It was just a performance, it was acting!"

"When can we see this video?" Matt asked, his eyes twinkling. "If Rachel doesn't want us to see a performance it has to be spectacularly embarrassing!"

"It's not embarrassing!" She argued petulantly. "I just happen to be showing parts of my body I prefer to keep covered."

"Now **I've** got to see this!" Puck yelled. "Are we talking _Basic Instinct_ here?"

"Puck!" Rachel shrieked satisfied when Quinn jabbed him in the stomach. "I'm offended that you would assume I have such low self respect as to blatantly use my body to increase my public image."

"Yeah it was just denim hot pants and a plaid shirt that was small enough for Beth to wear!" Indi said innocently knowing she was everything but. Finn's mouth fell open at the visual goodness that had just been seared into his brain.

"I hate you."

"You've told me that so many times it's lost all meaning Sugar Plum." Carver teased leaning forward and kissing the tip of her nose.

"If you show that video this time I'll mean it. And I'll super-glue your favourite appendage to your forehead!" She threatened, most of the boys in the room winced their hands subconsciously covering their most beloved body part.

"You wouldn't dare stoop so low as to damage this beauties!" Carver gasped waving his hands. "These are tools of creativity and awesomeness and without them who is going to design your gowns for the numerous Tony Award ceremonies you'll be attending?"

"Somehow I'll find a way." Rachel rolled her eyes. "And it's your fault I had to sing that song and wear that outfit and got groped by that creep!"

"That's all in the past now." Carver dismissed. "Now what are you wearing it's-"

"Scary?" Indi opined, when she'd left the costumes had been far less... sparkly.

"Kurt insisted on adding the detailing." Mercedes told them gesturing to the bedazzled edges of the dress she was wearing. "I think he went a little crazy with the glue gun."

"This is why I support gun control!" Carver said shaking his head sadly, it wasn't that the dresses were ugly it was that they looked like someone ate all the Prom directions they could find and vomited them back up on the dresses.

"Obviously some people cannot appreciate true fashion statements." Kurt sniffed straightening his bow tie.

"Is 'we take fashion tips from Hannah Montana' the statement you were aiming for?"

"Carver!" Rachel scolded. "Not everyone here loves you yet, you can only let out your sass once you've won them over."

"I know." He sighed. "Can I at least do some minor magic before you go on stage?"

"How much magic can he do in twenty minutes?" Artie asked glancing at the clock, Carver shot him a smirk and pulled out scissors and an emergency sewing kit from his bag, thankfully he grabbed it from his suitcase. Somehow he'd know he'd be needed.

"I've done more in less. Latina whore barbie get over here." Carver commanded beckoning Santana with his finger; surprisingly she obeyed.

"I'm only doing this because I look like a reject from 1984 right now." She clarified waving a hand so that the minor parts of the dress that were being cut up didn't hit her in the face.

Systematically Carver cut at each dress, they no longer matched but were tailored for each girl.

"He's fabulous." Kurt breathed, it was like watching a master at work.

"Don't tell him that his ego is already so big I'm surprised it didn't crash the plane."

"I heard that _Barney_!" Carver yelled over his shoulder fixing the newly halter top part of Brittany's dress.

"You were supposed to _Lance Bass_!"

"I'm starting to see what Jackson was talking about." Artie told Rachel who was smiling, it was an amazing feeling to have her two best friends back. "You lived with that for a whole year?"

"And loved every minute of it." She answered. "But I'm starting to come around to the charms of Lima."

"Guys, five minute warning!" Mr. Schuester announced. "What's going on in here?"

Carver waved at the teacher from his position at Mercedes feet, a pair of scissors in his mouth.

"Just a few last minute alterations." Rachel said quickly. "I assure you we will all be ready and waiting with a minute to spare."

"Okay, just remember you guys have already won because you're doing this together."

"Someone fancies himself Robin Williams in _Dead Poet's Society_." Carver mumbled under his breath placing one last stitch to the hem of Mercedes dress before collapsing theatrically.

"You're getting dirt on your Burberry coat."

That never failed to get Carver up and jumping checking for imaginary stains.

"Burberry?" Kurt mumbled. "Can I touch it?"

Carver's answer didn't matter much, Kurt was already rubbing it against his cheek.

"Wow. I never thought I'd see the day Cherub Cheeks got weirder." Puck marvelled. "You might want to take that back before he starts humping it."

"Honestly Puck must you be so vulgar all of the time?" Rachel groaned carefully extracting Kurt from the coat. "We have to take our places, and you better not-"

"After last time?" Indi scoffed, Rachel's scepticism remained unchanged. "Fine! I'll make sure he doesn't throw his underwear on stage."

"Thank you."

"Ok so we need to go kick some butt." Artie began sending a sly smile around the room. "But after I think we need to have a little sit down with your boy Carver here and let him dish the dirt."

"Out! Now!" Rachel barked practically pushing them out of the room. "What are you all looking at? We have a competition to win!"

The group snapped to it dispersing to the stage and stepping into their places. Rachel waited on the right side of the stage to enter while Finn waited in the middle, everybody else was paired up in the back; Mike and Brittany were together, Kurt and Mercedes and Lauren with Artie. Puck refused to partner with Quinn and had opted to dance with Santana while Matt danced with Tina and Quinn was stuck with her stalker.

"Please let us win." She whispered, the M.C's voice drowning hers out as he introduced them.

_GLEE!_

**I actually ga-vomited at Finn giving Quinn a hickey. If they had sex which I am seriously hoping didn't happen I will be pissed. It's obvious Quinn is only interested in her popularity and see's Finn as her way there. And why hasn't Kurt knocked some sense into his brother? I'm counting down until Carole finds out what Finn is up to and goes nuts at her son for being with the harlot that tried to ruin his life. Maybe that will give him some much needed perspective. **

**The preview for Original Song?**

**Quinn telling Rachel that she would win and Rachel would be heartbroken was interesting. Me thinks that there is more than meets the eye to that little conversation. Everybody knows that nothing stays a secret at McKinley for long. **

**How do you think Finn will react to the news that Quinn only hit on him way back in Britney/Brittany as a request from Rachel? If he really loved her like he thinks now (moron) wouldn't he have at least kissed her like he did Rachel in season 1? **

**Much to think on my pretties. **


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

Carver was getting into the performance once he'd double-checked with Indi that the M.C had said _New Directions_ and not _Nude Erections_ which he adamantly maintained was a far better name.

"Look at our girl all grown up!" He gushed watching Rachel and Finn dancing rather seductively in their second number, the very underrated classic _Can't Get Enough Of Your Love_ by Bad Company.

"She's not little Ohio anymore." Indi agreed bopping her head along to the beat.

"That's the heartbreaker? Love maker? Soul shaker?" Carver asked blatantly pointing out Finn. "He looks about as harmful as an adorable puppy. He can't keep his eyes off her!"

"He smartened up." Indi shrugged, for Rachel's sake she's really glad he proved himself to be a decent human being. "Of course we didn't exactly make it easy on him."

"That's my girls."

The second song ended and the group seemed to keep spinning while the band kicked up a new beat. The guys stopped spinning the girls and synchronising to the beat they high kicked launching into new choreography.

Puck and Mercedes took to centre stage, Puck's shirt was now open, his bow tie hanging untied around the neck and he was smirking.

"_Everybody shake!" _Puck crooned; honest to god he was crooning.

"_Everybody groove!" _Mercedes wailed, of course she wailed.

"_Everybody shake!"_

"_Mmm, mmm ohh, ohh!"_

Ahh, those long notes she was always relegated to. Indi nodded appreciatively, she did sound good. Kurt strutted forward holding his hand out to Santana who twirled into him.

"_Mary, Mary you're on my mind,  
The folks are gone and the place'll be mine."_

Santana sang dancing with Kurt.

"_Oh, Mary, Mary wanna be with you."_

Sam and Quinn moved to the forefront, even from here you could sense her distaste at being partnered with him.

"_And this is what I'm gonna do,  
I gonna put a call to you!"_

Swaying with her back to his front, Quinn leant forward to sing her lines.

"_Cause I feel good tonight,  
And every thing's gonna be right, right, yeah."_

Separating into two lines, girls in front boys in back in perfect synchronisation the girls bobbed down while the boys dived into a somersault to land in front of them, standing up and pulling them through their legs.

"_I'm gonna have a good time tonight,  
Rock n' Roll music gonna play all night,  
Come on baby it won't take long,  
Only take a minute just to sing my song."_

Finn and Rachel remained centre stage, while everyone danced around them.

"_Boney Moroney is gonna be with him." _

Rachel winked at Finn, he leant down and she used his shoulders as a spring board for a back flip.

"_I said, long Tall Sally is gonna be with slim!"_

Finn lifted her up and used a swing dancing move to move her around his body.

"_Short fat Freddy is gonna, she's gonna be there to!"_

Turning to face each other they wore matching grins that spread across the whole of their faces.

"_And this is what I'm gonna do,  
Well I've got to put a call to you,  
Cause I feel good tonight,  
And every thing's gonna be right, right, yeah."_

Rachel spun out towards Artie giving him a push, he was met by Brittany who plopped in his lap, the rest of the boys scooping up their partners bridal style until they swung around so they were on their shoulders.

"_I'm gonna have a good time tonight,  
Rock n' Roll music gonna play all night,  
Come on baby it won't take long,  
Only take a minute just to sing my song."_

The girls slid down the boys backs shimmying along the way.

"_I've got to talk to you!"_

Brittany blew a kiss to the crowd before grooving to the right.

"_Boney Moroney is gonna be with J-J-Jimmy."_

Matt and Mike high fived doing some kind of mock seizure dance move before the two dropped to the floor and did the worm.

"_Wah, Long tall Sally is gonna be with him."_

Santana, never one to be outdone cartwheeled to the left giving everyone a great view of her underwear.

"_Short fat Freddy is gonna be there too."_

Kurt moonwalked his line giving a very Michael Jackson hip thrust.

"_And this is what I gonna to do,  
I'm gonna put a call to you,  
Coz' I feel good tonight,  
And everything's gonna be right, right, yeah."_

Okay so here was the trickiest piece of choreography, it had taken the most time for everyone to master but when executed perfectly looked amazing.

"_I'm gonna have a good time tonight,  
Rock n' Roll music gonna play all night,  
Come on baby it won't take long,  
Only take a minute just to sing my song."_

Brittany gave the signal, flicking her hair over her left shoulder. Rachel grasped her hand and cartwheeled over her shoulders, Santana and Quinn doing the same behind them. Mike and Matt ran at each other from opposite sides of the stage back flipping just before they hit, Puck and Sam sliding underneath them playing air guitar.

"_I'm gonna have a good time tonight,  
Rock n' Roll music gonna play all night,  
Come on baby it won't take long,  
Only take a minute just to sing my song."_

Mercedes and Lauren slid into the splits, Quinn and Santana jumped over them each doing the splits in the air before being caught by their partners and tangoed away.

"_Listen!"_

Finn pointed to Mercedes who was all geared up for her another wail in the song.

"_Ah! Oh!"_

Mercedes pretended to faint dramatically, Kurt and Tina waving their hands exaggeratedly to revive her.

"_Gonna have a good time tonight,  
Rock n' Roll music gonna play all night,  
Come on baby it won't take long,  
Only take a minute just to sing my song."_

The distraction of Mercedes worked well, the audience had barely noticed four of the group had disappeared from the stage. Well they definitely noticed when the spotlight hit each of them; Finn and Rachel each entered from the back doors while Brittany and Puck were on the top level pulling people from their seats and dancing with them.

"_Come on and have a good time tonight,  
Rock n' Roll music gonna play all night,  
Come on baby it won't take long,  
Only take a minute just to sing my song."_

Matt and Lauren ran down the stairs, Santana and Mike on their heels mingling with the crowd.

"_Hey, listen!"_

Kurt all but commanded bowing to centre stage where Mercedes was ready to belt out her longest note of the night.

"_WAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"_

The applause was practically deafening from Mercedes pitch perfect note, Rachel shot her a thumbs up as she made her way back to the stage where everyone was reassembling.

"_Gonna have a good time tonight,  
Rock n' Roll music gonna play all night,  
Come on baby it won't take long,  
Only take a minute just to sing my song."_

The end pose was nothing dramatic, just the whole group smashed together arms around each other beaming widely. Well they **were** all beaming until someone threw a pair of tighty whities on stage with the name Carver sewn into the label. Rachel gritted her teeth and vowed silently that by the end of the night her dear Carver would be wearing those same tighty whities, to be more specific his stomach would after she made him eat them.

_GLEE!_

Mr Schuester was waiting for them in the tiny space that they had used to get ready, they were all still very high on adrenaline and were talking over each other. Brittany and Artie were very happily making out not really paying attention to anyone else.

"Guys! That was amazing I am so proud of you all right now!"

Of course this brought on more cheers, the chatter was loud enough that no one noticed the rather incessant knocking until Santana who had been jumping up and down banged into it pushing it open.

"WE'RE NOT WORTHY! WE'RE NOT WORTHY!"

Rachel cracked a minute smile at her two friends acting like idiots. Knowing her line she rolled her eyes and motioned for them to stop.

"You're worthy, you're worthy. Get up!"

Puck stared at Rachel in surprise; she'd seen Wayne's World? Let alone Wayne's World 2? New respect, earned.

"You were a star baby girl, I've got the whole thing on tape. Some creepy kid in a fro promised me a copy as long as I gave him a lock of your hair."

"Ew." Tina wrinkled her nose, nobody wanted to know why Jacob wanted the hair or what he planned to do with it.

"That's disgusting!" Rachel exclaimed throwing the underwear from the stage back at him which he caught easily.

"I know, that's why I gave some guy with a weird attachment to pink sweaters tied around his neck twenty dollars to tape it for us." Indi waved the camera. "He also tried to sell us pot."

"Mr. Ryerson!" Puck muttered recognizing the description; how many drug dealers wore pink?

"I hope you didn't-"

"As if." Indi barked cutting off her former teacher. "If there was ever a giant walking billboard to not do drugs my father would be it."

"Right. It's nice to see you again Indi and boy I don't know."

"Oh this is Carver, another friend from New York." She introduced quickly, of course without her watchful eye for the last two minutes Carver was already in trouble making more alterations to Lauren's dress.

"Charmed!" He yelled pulling at the material until it gathered to his satisfaction. "There! Now come on my lovely we need to fix that uneven fringe, it has been bothering me for the last hour!"

"He's interesting." Mr Schue smiled. "I'm sure he's quite a character."

Artie snorted, from the stories he'd heard and the small amount of time in his presence he'd already deduced that Carver was indeed quite a character, a larger than life one at that.

"Is there a ghost in here?" Brittany asked, the lights had started to blink repeatedly.

"No, it means they've voted. We have a winner."

Rachel looked to Finn quickly grabbing his hand in her own, he smiled slightly and pulled her closer to his body.

"We should probably get back to our seats." Indi decided. "Carver come on!"

"Coming."

"That's what she said." Puck and Matt said at the same time, they turned to each other to high five over what they deemed their brilliance. Mr Schuester rolled his eyes and pushed for them to head for the stage everyone else falling in line behind them until it was only Finn, Rachel, Indi and Carver left.

"Not that you'll need it but I've bought you something for good luck." Carver reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace a simple charm hanging from the end.

"My claddagh." She said softly rubbing the charm softly.

"What is it?" Finn asked watching Rachel clasp the jewellery around her neck.

"The hands represent friendship, the heart love and the crown loyalty." Indi recited from memory. "Carver got them for us at Christmas."

"Ahem." Rachel coughed.

"Sorry and Hannukah."

"I gave mine to Carver before I left so he'd know that even though we weren't together we were never apart." Rachel explained. "Thank you for bringing it back."

"You guys should probably hurry, wouldn't want them to announce the winner without you there."

Rachel's face flashed with panic, Finn's hand once again in her grasp she tugged on it urgently and pulled him towards the door.

"You guys can watch from the wings!" She called over her shoulder.

"Bout time." Artie mumbled as they reached the stage trying and failing miserably to look as though they had been there the whole time. The judges were blathering on about the spirit of competition and how they were all winners; the typical condolence speech.

"And now for the results."

Wow this guy really thought he was Ryan Seacrest or something.

"In third place; The Hipsters."

The blue clad choir were obviously disgruntled but accepted their trophy, albeit not exactly happily.

The Warblers and New Directions were left standing side by side trying to not be conspicuous as they snuck glances at each other.

"This year there were two outstanding teams. Our decision was not reached easily, that being said a decision was reached. It brings me great pleasure to reveal that the winner that will be advancing to Regionals is."

Dramatic pause, they always stop for a dramatic pause. Honestly, it was a little surprising the moron didn't say 'will be revealed right after a message from our sponsors.' Mercedes had her eyes closed and was praying softly, even Puck looked anxious to hear the result.

"New Directions!"

It wasn't like a movie where all of sudden they all realized that their differences were what brought them together. Most of them still didn't like each other. But for that moment in time it didn't matter. Rachel's arms were hurting from hugging so much, her smile was so wide her face would probably freeze that way.

"Congratulations, you and your leading man were electric out there. If we had to lose I'm glad it was to a worthy opponent."

"Thank you Blaine." Rachel replied shaking his hand. "That is your name right? I'm Rachel Barbra Berry."

"How did you know my name?"

"Your cousin told me." Rachel pointed to Carver who was no longer waiting in the wings but jumping up and down despite only knowing everyone for about an hour.

"You're **that** Rachel!" Blaine clicked. "I've heard wonderful things about you."

"Really?" She asked sceptically. "Carver saying positive things about anyone who isn't a fashion designer is a little hard to believe."

"I always brag about my hags since Mr Warbler here has none!" Carver interrupted squeezing in between them and throwing his arms around their shoulders.

"Well since Rachel's in boring Ohio I might have to steal her from you my dear cousin." Blaine teased. "What do you say?"

"I'm a one man kind of girl." Rachel replied with a smile. "But I guess if Carver deigns to allow me to be loaned I could help you out."

Carver sighed theatrically peeling himself off Rachel.

"I suppose I can make do with just Indi."

"Don't let her hear you say that!" She warned. "I don't want to have to deal with another hysterical phone call at 2am because she super-glued all of the zips in your clothes together."

"It was his bags too." Indi corrected. "You must be cousin Blaine, I'm Indi."

"And I'm Kurt, you were fabulous. Tell me what's your opinion on Marc Jacobs new line?"

Kurt steered Blaine away skilfully the two boys chatting animatedly, Carver shook his head after them.

"Remind me to tell Blaine that angel face has a crush on him, it will save so much awkwardness later."

"RACHEL!"

Brittany wrapped herself around the smaller girl and placed a smacking kiss on her cheek.

"Hey Cinderella."

"We won!" She yelled again obviously drunk on adrenaline. "We're going to Breadstix to celebrate!"

The blonde ran off to hug somebody else, leaving Rachel able to breathe now that she was out of her death grip.

"Feel special Carver, you get to cross off one of the only places in Lima to go on your first night here!" Indi joked sarcastically. "Your dads let us borrow your car, we'll see you at the restaurant!"

"You crash it and I will kill you **BARNEY**!" She yelled after her two friends, of course she was droned out by the hum of the crowd they had disappeared into.

"Let's get on the bus. Breadstix is on me tonight!" Mr Schuester declared pumping his fist in the air. Brittany reached up to bump it with her own.

"Uh can we change first? I don't know about y'all but this fabric is all kinds of itchy." Mercedes asked grimacing slightly and scratching at her neck.

"Guys you just won. You can do whatever you want!"

"Oh he is so going to regret saying that." Puck declared raising one eyebrow and smirking.

"Within reason!" Mr Schuester amended, but of course by then it was already too late. Between Puck and Santana their night was already being filled with debauchery.

_GLEE!_

**Hope you enjoyed, sadly there is but one chapter left and an epilogue! Get excited people I have a feeling FINCHEL is making a comeback! I hope either Brittany or Lauren get Prom Queen, it doesn't seem like a Rachel thing to want and considering the way Mercedes divas out next week I don't want her to win it and ditto for Quinn and Santana obviously!**

**Loved the distinct Finchel moment in tonights ep, hit me up if you too are sure that our OTP is on it's way back! **


	18. Chapter 18

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

"I can't believe we have the whole place to ourselves. How did Mr Schue pull this off?" Artie yelled, whoever had found the stereo had pumped the volume.

"I think I know." Rachel nodded to their teacher who was standing next to a pint sized blonde. "I always thought she had a thing for him."

"April Rhodes. Hall of fame cougar." Puck said appreciatively.

"Keep it in your pants." Mike warned. "Quinn will kill you, if she starts talking to you again."

"Maybe you should save the advice until your girlfriend is talking to you!" Puck shot back.

"Whoa, hey! We just won sectionals!" Matt cheered trying to keep the two from punching each other. "You're not buying this are you?"

"Both of you just chill out, we're meant to be celebrating not rehashing your sad CW love lives." Indi paused. "That was meant to sound comforting."

"It didn't." Brittany and Artie said at the same time. "JINX!"

"Oh so you guys are finally admitting that Manhands here is a troll?" Santana giggled. "She is a jinx, how else do you explain that nose?"

Rachel couldn't even respond, she had mistakenly thought that maybe for one night they could all put aside their differences and just celebrate their achievement. The tears sprung to her eyes quickly taking her by surprise; after putting all of her emotions into their performance she was drained and not in the right state of mind to deal with this. It was like the last year of building up her self-esteem and learning to stand up for herself had been all for naught.

"Oh my god. Is she actually crying?" Quinn asked in disgust. "Way to bring down the party Debbie Downer."

"You two are the ones who are bringing this party down." Puck snapped making a motion for the two to keep walking which they did after rolling their eyes.

Rachel wiped at her face, thankfully she had opted for waterproof mascara for the competition. She wasn't about to let these two break her down. She took a deep breath to steel her for what she was about to do, striding purposefully she stopped just in front of the two girls.

"What do you want?"

"To do this." She replied evenly, pulling her hands from behind her back she threw the contents of the two cups at the girls drenching them, having not been prepared and not used to a slushee facial both howled in pain from the substance getting in their eyes.

"You bitch!"

"It's called karma. What goes around comes around and we all know how much you like to go around." Mercedes told Santana coming to stand behind Rachel. "She offered a clean slate and you threw it back at her, looks like you got yours."

"You'll pay for this." Quinn growled. "Anything you have or want I can take it from you easily. Finn's only sniffing around you because he can't be with me. You will always be the consolation prize."

"Right, so that's why he kissed her when he was with you?" Artie spoke up. "Twice."

"Finn doesn't have the guts to have done that to me." Quinn said confidently.

"Nice to know what you really think." The boy in question stated slipping in behind Rachel and grabbing her hand. "I did kiss Rachel twice when we were together and if you hadn't told me you were pregnant I would have broken up with you."

"You asshole!" Quinn reached out to slap him, her hand never made it to his cheek, her wrist was held in a vice grip by Rachel.

"Don't. I have put up with you because I mistakenly thought that perhaps there was something redeemable in you. But I was so wrong. You are rotten down to your core. I actually feel sorry for you with your delusions of grandeur." Rachel paused releasing the blonde's wrist. "Listen up, your reputation from high school doesn't matter. I'm kind of sick of having to keep repeating that."

"It's true blondie." April agreed. "I was just like you in high school, popular, beautiful. The hallways practically parted when I walked by. But none of that matters out here, I'm just some old guy's mistress who keeps buying me businesses so I don't tell his wife about us."

"Look at your future girls." Kurt told them gesturing to April who was now chugging down beer. "She had everything; talent, beauty, popularity but she's still stuck in Lima, drinking away her sorrows and wishing for the golden days when people thought she was worth something."

"Hey Will, did I tell you about this boy I slept with the other night? Looked just like you!" April slurred throwing an arm around Mr Schuester who laughed nervously while moving the alcohol slowly away from her.

"Come on Q this party blows anyway. We can get changed at my house and head to that party at Azimio's."

Santana didn't bother waiting for Quinn to agree already heading towards the doors.

"What are you waiting for Quinn?" Puck challenged.

"I-I-I don't know." She answered softly, tears brimming in her eyes.

"That little voice, the one that's telling you to stay and apologize, to make amends. It's your conscience and it's who you should have been listening to all along not Santana." Mercedes told her. "When you're not so busy trying to be the perfect prom queen and destroying others, you can be a good person."

"Please don't tell me you're buying into this psycho babble? Just because boozy screwed up her life doesn't mean we will." Santana sneered at the group. "Look what listening to them has done to Puck and Britt? They used to be cool but now they're total losers."

"Santana-" Mr Schuester started.

"We're not in school right now Mr Schue, you have no jurisdiction over me. I don't have to like these people and regardless of what you say I don't have to respect them when obviously they don't respect me."

"Respect is earned." Mike spoke up. "Maybe if you treated others with respect they'd treat you in kind."

"Mike's right." Tina agreed standing next to her estranged boyfriend. "You can't expect everyone to fear you and go along with everything you say when you don't offer the same courtesy."

"Wow, hypocrite." Santana snorted in reply. "If you weren't so pissed that Manhands and Wheels are besties you would have given in to her apology crap and still be all in Asian love with Chang. You're no saint either, you've been a bitch to the troll since she's been back."

"Rachel." Carver corrected. "Her name is Rachel; learn it and use it. She doesn't call you Silicone Sack Slut or Satan Hoe-pez which from the short time I've known you are the two names I've already given you, there are more but I'm a gentleman and won't repeat them in front of the ladies present. Which in case you were wondering that definitely doesn't include you."

"I will take you down Elton John!" She growled stepping forward menacingly.

"My parents raised me not to hit girls but I have no qualms about letting Indi loose on your ass, I know she'd be all too happy to." Carver motioned to Indi who cracked her knuckles happily.

"I'll help her." Lauren volunteered. "The wrestling season's over and I get antsy if I don't pummel someone once a week. If that someone's you, well that's just the icing on the cake."

"And you know all about that wouldn't you Rosie O'Donnell?"

"Whoa there mama." Puck called holding Lauren back from crushing Santana's windpipe, Matt and Mike helped him, she was a wily one.

"Let me at her!" Lauren yelled.

"Yeah, let her at her." Indi agreed arching her eyebrow, sure she wanted to punch the girl in the mouth but watching Lauren completely own her would be pretty awesome too.

"Both of you calm down." Mercedes intervened stepping between the girls. "Y'all need to just chill out for a minute."

"I'm chilled enough covered in this ice thanks!" Santana snapped.

"Stop it! Just stop! I love you and you're ruining it!"

The normally docile blonde now had the attention of the room.

"Brit are you okay?" Artie asked rubbing his girlfriend's arm, she clasped their hands together placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"I need to do this." She murmured to him. "You're my best friend, or at least you were. I told you I loved you but you rejected me! You can't be angry that I found someone else."

"Did anyone see that coming?" Puck whispered, he'd hooked up with Santana and Brittany, to think it could have been a two for one deal.

"And you can't keep hurting people because they're happy and you're not!" Brittany was flat out crying now. "I wanted to be with you but you were too scared, scared of what people would say. People like you!"

"Britt-"

"No Santana! Just no! I'm in love with Artie now, you lost your chance for sweet girl kisses and you have no one to blame but yourself!"

The blonde turned away and crawled onto her boyfriend's lap curling around him as much as the chair would allow, showing skill Artie managed to roll them away so that they had at least the semblance of privacy while he tried to calm her down.

"She's right." Quinn whispered, her face showing the obvious shock of Brittany's admission.

"Who would have thought we'd have to leave a performing arts school to see drama?" Carver whispered to Indi enthralled in the events transpiring before him.

"Shh!" Indi replied clamping a hand around his mouth, this was just getting good.

"Quinn?" Puck ventured slowly; he'd only seen this defeated look on her face once before and it wasn't exactly an experience he liked remembering.

"She's right and you were right too." She mumbled. "I never liked her before but I hated her after."

"Is anyone understanding her right now?" Kurt asked scrutinising the increasingly emotional girl. "I'm pretty good on overly emotional girl speak but even I'm lost."

"Shut it porcelain!" Puck snarled wrapping an arm around Quinn's shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm not okay!" Quinn snapped. There was no other way to describe it, she just snapped. An avalanche of emotion; roughly a years worth came pouring out of her, only snippets of words managing to actually be heard.

"Cheated...Lied...such a bitch...hated it...never talked...her, not me...why?"

Puck looked pleadingly at Rachel and Finn who both understood his look.

"I think Quinn needs a moment to compose herself." Rachel said firmly, it wasn't a suggestion or a command exactly but it got people moving away, false cheer filled the air again as they separated off into groups all making a point to not look at that corner of the restaurant.

Puck was soothing Quinn with a gentleness few would believe he had in him, she was calming down somewhat her wheezing softening and only their hushed tones were heard.

"Well this is awkward." Rachel mumbled more to herself than Finn who agreed nodding slightly with a lopsided grin. She turned to stare out at the noticeably subdued party; Mike and Tina were in a booth quietly talking, or most likely making up. Kurt was dancing with Lauren and Mercedes while Carver, Indi and Matt watched laughing at the moves he was pulling out. Brittany and Artie were on the other side of the room, Santana just a few meters away looking like she was trying to think of how to approach them.

"Uh guys? Quinn has something she wants to say to you, don't you babe?" Puck shoot a sideways look to Quinn whose face was pinched like she had just swallowed rat poison.

"I owe you both an apology." She started working hard to get the words out. "I've always been envious of how you never let anyone get in the way of who you were, I was never strong enough to do that."

Rachel nodded slowly, as far as excuses for bullying went it was clichéd and lame but it didn't make it any less true.

"When Finn joined Glee, I was annoyed that he could just ignore our social standing and do that without even consulting me! And then you happened and I could feel it all slipping out of my hands. Prom queen, head cheerleader! In high school status is everything and I don't know how to be without it or even who I am." She paused trying to steady herself. "The quarterback and the head cheerleader, Finn and Quinn our names even rhyme it was perfect! But it wasn't there, we didn't hate each other but we didn't love each other, we didn't get under each other's skin. His face never lit up like it did when he was with you."

"Keep going babe." Puck urged quietly, it was about time she let all of this out.

"With Puck it was always there, that urge to smack him or kiss him. But he wasn't who I was meant to fall for. And then I saw that stupid routine at the assembly and you were so happy, instead of coming to Santana's that afternoon you blew it off for some stupid glee club thing and that's when I, that's when Puck and I."

"We get it." Rachel assured her, Finn's knuckles were practically white he was squeezing her hand so hard.

"Are you trying to say that it was my fault? That just because I started to like Rachel I deserved what you did to me? To both of us?" Finn demanded keeping his anger in check enough to not raise his voice.

"No! But I was just so angry! I guess I _blamed_ you for what happened."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You made the decision to sleep with Puck and you chose to lie to everyone about it and you chose my life to ruin over a baby that wasn't even mine and for what? Because I never loved you? Get over yourself!"

Ok that part hadn't been kept in a hushed tone, there was no use pretending that pretty much everyone hadn't just heard that.

"That wasn't why I did it!" Quinn argued back. "I knew you would stand by me, that you would support me."

"Puck would have. He hates deadbeat dads!" Finn countered giving his ex girlfriend a disgusted look. "You lied because you wanted to punish me and Rachel for your own mistake!"

"You're not innocent here Finn, you cheated on me too!"

"Two kisses does not cancel out sleeping with my best friend, getting pregnant and lying about it for months!"

Puck and Rachel looked to each other and nodded both moving to calm down their respective fighters.

"You're angry and hurt but I think we all know by now that yelling isn't really going to solve anything. Just let her explain, I think you need to hear this before you can fully move on." Rachel told him softly holding his hands and rubbing small circles on them with her thumbs. Finn nodded slowly feeling brave enough to steal a slow, languid kiss to give him courage.

Perhaps completely inappropriately someone made a rather loud catcall, it was cut short by the same person groaning in pain.

"I lied because I was scared Finn, I was petrified of what my parents would do, what everyone at school would say, what Coach Sylvester would do to me. I was scared and you were the one person I knew would help me."

_Chivalrous_. That was how Rachel had described him and it was kind of what Quinn was saying now.

"I get it, I do." Finn muttered. "I don't like it or even like you right now but I guess eventually I'll forgive you."

"I really am sorry, I never planned for it to happen and then everything just spiralled out of control."

"Like I said, I get it, don't really understand but I get it."

The foursome stood in silence acting as though they couldn't feel everyone's eyes on them. Puck nudged his blonde and motioned towards Rachel.

"I hated you. I hated your religion, I hated that you had two fathers, I hated that teachers always singled out how smart you were and that you were always so sure of who you were and what you were going to do in life. Even on the first day of kindergarten when you stood up and announced to the whole group that we should remember your name because you were going to be a star." Quinn pursed her lips, it kind of looked like she had been sucking on a lemon. It was obvious this was difficult for her. "You never faltered no matter what, you didn't stop being yourself and wearing your grandma clothes when everyone else teased you. I hated that I was never strong enough to do that. I guess in some ways I was jealous of you, I wanted to break you. I thought that if I broke you down than maybe it wasn't so bad that they broke me."

"Do you have any idea how low my self-esteem was because of you? How little I thought of myself? I threw myself into singing knowing it was only thing I had that you could never fault me for. But you even tried to ruin that. And it was all because I chose to be myself instead of another soulless automaton like you?"

"I'm sorry, I actually am. When I saw how Finn fell apart without you I hated you even more and I hated myself. And then you came back here with your new attitude and your new friend and I hated you for being okay when Finn wasn't."

"And then Beth." Rachel filled in.

"I can't think of her without crying, without completely losing it. I was finally back on top, back to having people look at me and not see the pregnant girl but the head cheerio. You have everything Rachel, fathers who love and support you no matter what, talent and assurance that you'll get out of this town and then you had my baby too. I know it doesn't make sense but it just felt like you had taken everything away from me. Puck stopped talking to me and then everything with glee happened and-" Quinn broke off to choke back a sob, she hated crying.

"Calm down, Puck get her some water before she works herself up into a fit." Rachel ordered guiding Quinn towards a chair. "Put your head between your knees and breathe."

Finn shot Puck a warning look, thankfully the other boy knew better than to make a joke at that moment.

"Is she okay?" Finn whispered to Rachel while staring at Quinn who seemed to be struggling to breathe.

"I think she worked herself up into a panic attack." Rachel replied. "She just needs to calm down or else she might faint."

"Drink this."

Puck practically threw the glass of water at Quinn, miraculously the water managed to stay in the glass

"Thank you." Quinn said quietly playing with the now empty class, running her finger tip over the edge over and over.

"Bet that hurt a little to say." Puck joked trying to relieve the tension, Rachel shot him a look that told him to zip it. "It's called a sense of humour."

"It's called being an ass." Finn retorted rolling his eyes at his former best friend.

"He's right, it does pain me to have to thank her for anything." Quinn admitted. "I don't like needing anyone, or being helped, my mother always said vulnerability was a weakness and there was nothing less attractive than a needy woman."

"Mother of the year right there." Puck cut in earning another round of glares. "Why are you all giving me that look my mum gives me at dinner?"

"Because we want you to shut up." Finn told him punching him in the arm which surprisingly got him to stop talking.

"Quinn I think I can understand where you are coming from; I've seen enough eighties teen movies and after school specials to understand the rigours of peer pressure and how desirable the urge to squash the different is and I do appreciate your acknowledgement of your actions but I can't give you my forgiveness. One apology that while sincere is also forced wont heal the pain and suffering I have suffered for over a decade." Rachel spoke slowly, wanting to make sure every word counted. "The difference between us is that my parents taught me to treat others with respect; all others not just the people that I deemed worthy. I saw how you dismissed Mercedes after that slushy facial, how can you remain so unchanged by your experiences? She reached out to you last year and you essentially spat it back at her."

"You're an angel and I'm the devil." Quinn summed up bitingly. "Is that what you want me to say? You're the perfect girl that will overcome all the obstacles and emerge the shining star and I'm the bitch that gets her comeuppance."

"You're not listening at all!" Rachel wanted to shake the girl, was it really that hard to understand? "Your parents were wrong, being vulnerable doesn't make you undesirable. It makes you human, you have to learn from your mistakes and do what makes you happy regardless of whether it is cool or not."

"It's not that easy, you don't have to conform to what everyone else wants!"

"And everyday that I don't I am taunted and humiliated for it." The brunette stated calmly. "Every insecurity I have in this world stems from the way you and other people have made me feel. The thing is, my insecurities? They wouldn't be there if I hadn't given you all that kind of power over me. Chose to not care about what other people say, it will still hurt but you can chose whether or not to let it effect you."

"She's right." Kurt agreed. "Oh stop with the looks you know we were all listening!"

Puck shrugged, it wasn't like this conversation was going to be kept a secret for long anyway; at least not with Motormouth Mercedes around, everyone knew she was the gossip queen of the school. The rest of the group had stopped their facades and were now openly staring at the foursome.

"You were saying Kurt?" Rachel asked inviting him into the conversation, Quinn obviously wasn't understanding her, perhaps he would have better luck.

"I could have stayed hidden away in the further recesses of my closet and probably discovered Narnia. It would have been easier than being the only out and proud gay student in Lima. But the alternative? Hiding away who I am? Being miserable just because people are narrow-minded? That's worse. I'd rather those people have to deal with their own pathetic prejudices and be who I am than let them intimidate me into being someone I'm not." Kurt breathed deeply, tears prickling at his eyes. "Don't let your fears stifle who you can be, who you are supposed to be."

"We can tell you this over and over again but it's up to you to make that choice." Mercedes added looping her arm with Kurt's. "And stick to it, would you rather be remembered for the person you are or the bitch you project?"

Quinn stayed silent her eyes burrowing a hole into the ground while her hands kept wringing themselves over and over, an obvious nervous habit.

"_You wanted me to be a mountain  
I'd rather be a river  
Water flow can wash a hill away  
You wanted me to fly  
I want to get high  
How else am I gonna see what I want to see?"_

Rachel sang softly to herself remembering the words Jackson had written for her.

"_I always knew what I had to do." _Finn sang back, those lyrics were seared into his brain. "You know it Quinn, you just can't accept it because your reputation is more important to you. The funny thing is, all those people whose acceptance you're chasing, when you get it, it will be empty because the only acceptance you really need is from yourself."

"This just got way heavy." Mercedes mumbled to Kurt who nodded in agreement, Quinn was still silent, tears running down her face.

"I think you should take Quinn home." Rachel suggested to Puck. "I've said all I have to and I think she has too. The rest is up to her."

Puck mouthed a _thank you_ and pulled the blonde towards the door keeping an arm securely around her shoulders the door banging shut loudly behind them.

"So what are we supposed to do now? Party like none of that serious therapy needing talk didn't just happen?" Mercedes asked giggling slightly.

"Denial, I'm a big fan." Indi agreed. "It's not just a river in Egypt but a valid life choice."

"How about you guys head home and get a good nights sleep." Mr Schue suggested. "Starting Monday we have Regionals to plan for."

"We literally just won Sectionals, is a little relax time too much to ask for?" Matt grumbled grabbing his jacket.

"In a word? Yes."

"I am kind of tired." Mercedes admitted. "That showdown seriously killed my buzz."

"Mine too." Kurt agreed. "Although thinking of Blaine certainly helps."

"I think your brother's in love." Rachel teased holding Finn's hand as they left the restaurant leaving Mr Schue and April to clean up, although how much help she would be was a mystery.

"My cousin's a heartbreaker." Carver warned jumping into the back seat of Rachel's car, Indi clamouring in beside him.

"I'll be sure to tell him that." Finn said drily before turning his attention back to Rachel. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I actually am. I think we both know that it was a long time coming."

"Kind of like this."

Rachel's eyes widened, Finn fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a charm, it twinkled merrily while he attached it to the bracelet that adorned her wrist.

"Finn..."

"Just open it."

Doing as she was told Rachel carefully pulled open the heart locket, on the left side was a picture of the two of them from the Bon Jovi concert, neither were aware that a photo was being taken and were staring at each other.

"Artie took it, he gave it to me a few weeks ago." Finn explained.

Rachel nodded blinking to keep tears from springing to her eyes, she squinted to read the right side; inscribed was today's date.

"You were that sure we would win?" She asked in surprise.

"Yeah but that's not what it means." He chuckled slightly. "I was hoping it could an anniversary."

"What kind of anniversary?"

"Ours." Leaning down to grab her hands, he brought them to his mouth placing a kiss on each knuckle. "Rachel Barbra Berry will you be my girlfriend?"

Rachel stared back at him seemingly frozen in shock, the tears she had blinked away not streaming down her face.

"OH FOR GODS SAKE KISS HIM!"

Finn wanted to turn out growl at whoever had just yelled; it sounded like Kurt but he could be sure. Before he could Rachel moved her hands to cup his face and kissed him urgently all but jerking him down to her height.

"Yes." She breathed softly not wasting time before kissing him again.

Mike tooted his horn as he drove past the kissing couple his car full with their friends who made cat calls. Matt wasn't joining in, he owed Indi twenty bucks, he thought Finn would chicken out of asking Rachel out until Regionals.

"Looks like she finally got her happy ending." Indi smiled resting back against the seats. "Took him long enough."

"Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds but you do realize you're making out in a parking lot when you have a gloriously comfortable bed and two very trusting father's at home?" Carver pointed out smirking at the blush that rose all the way to the tips of Rachel's ears. Finn's eyes all but bulged out of his head, it was too easy.

"Good night Finn." Rachel pressed one last kiss to his lips savouring it.

"Night Rach." He grabbed the door holding it open for her.

He waited until her car had disappeared around the bend before breaking into a happy dance.

"You know we're still here right?" Kurt yelled out gesturing to Mercedes and himself who were waiting for lover boy to unlock the car.

"Rachel's my girlfriend." He yelled back pumping a fist in the air.

"Yeah we got that newsflash." Mercedes rolled her eyes. "And I sent that tweet out about five minutes ago, you should be getting some kind of death threat from Jacob soon."

Finn ignored her starting the car up and humming to himself, Rachel was his girlfriend. His. Not even a death threat from that scary bouncer looking dude that Jackson was with could ruin this. Well maybe that would.

"White boy's in L-O-V-E love." Mercedes teased. "If he starts singing mushy love songs I'm commando rolling out of this car."

"I doubt he'd notice." Kurt told her staring in amazement at his step-brother, he would have guessed the dopey, blissed out expression was chemically induced had he not known better.

"Monday is going to be all kinds of interesting." Mercedes remarked, between the uber drama that was the Quinn-Finn-Rachel showdown that night, the bombshell that was the Brittana situation and oh yeah the fact that they had won Sectionals. Monday was definitely going to be awesome.

_GLEE!_

**So guys how are we coping being GLEE-less for the next two weeks? Excited for a Blaine/Kurt Promness. Less so of course for Finn-Quinn going to prom. Here's to hoping Finn smartens up before then.**

**Quinn so-called reality was actually really mean. She doesn't believe Finn is capable of anything but taking over Burt's business. When has he ever mentioned being interested in doing that? **

**Rachel comparatively believes Finn can do whatever he wants as long as he sets his mind to it and tries his best. **

**Me thinks Quinn's little vision of the future needs to be made public record because I doubt Finn would be too pleased with it!**


	19. Chapter 19

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own GLEE or the music used in this fic.**

_GLEE_

"Please tell me he isn't serious about this song?" Santana begged concentrating on her toe nails that were being carefully painted red. "I think I'd rather Brit's suggestion of that stupid _High School Musical _song."

"The song's not that bad." Mercedes interjected pausing the braid she was putting in Lauren's hair. "At least it's not from before 1980."

"Do I need to remind you that we will be singing this song in front of the entire school and our families?"

"Girl, I grinded with Kurt and sang _Push It_ in front of the school, this is a cake walk."

"Are you girls still complaining about this orange song?" Puck snickered. "I am not singing that at graduation."

"It's Vitamin C." Kurt corrected placing his shoulder bag on a chair. "And I agree, it's cliché and boring."

"You got anything better?" Blaine countered.

Kurt had ignored Carver's words of warning and pursued Blaine. The fire at the Dalton Academy that led to Blaine's transfer had been officially declared as the result of of faulty electrical wiring, everyone else had been certain Kurt had started the fire to ensure his crush would have to change schools. Blaine had remained completely unaware of Kurt's unrequited love until Mercedes literally walloped him over the head and threatened his man parts if he didn't put her best friend out of his misery; they'd been on the rocky road of love ever since.

"That's the point, anything would be better."

"I still don't see what was wrong with my suggestion." Puck complained. "Alice Cooper is a rock legend."

"It insinuates that you're going to blow up the school." Rachel pointed out abandoning her conversation with Matt and Brittany. "Miss Pillsbury suggested the song, that's why Mr Schue is so adamant we sing it."

"We've got to change his mind." Artie agreed. "But I can't think of any songs that aren't cheesy."

"Google it." Tina suggested. "I don't care if it's cheesy, anything else would be better."

"What about the song from _The Breakfast Club_?" Sam suggested. "It sort of fits."

"Simple Minds are pretty awesome." Finn agreed offering Sam a fist bump.

"Actually I have an idea as well." Rachel smiled nervously; a lot had changed since Regionals in junior year but even now her suggestions were always met with hesitancy; people were just more tactful about it. "I know it's not exactly my usual taste but I heard the song when I went with Indi to see Jackson open for them when they were touring right after I moved to New York."

"Well are you going to tell us or just keep us all in suspense?" Mike asked; he was a lot more talkative and less shy these days; he and Tina had sorted their differences after Tina had apologised for being stubborn. They were still together and their fights always made for the best glee gossip.

"In this diary."

"Never heard of it."

"Who the hell sings that?"

"I'm not singing some pansy ass song about a chick writing in her diary."

"Guys shut up and let her explain." Finn yelled motioning for his girlfriend to continue.

"It's by The Ataris and I think it's perfect and not at all lame, clichéd or cheesy." She glanced over her shoulder to the band and gave them a nod having already supplied them with music earlier.

Rachel shrugged off her cardigan and laid it carefully on her chair striding towards the middle of the room while the band started to play.

"_Here in this diary,  
I write you visions of my summer.  
It was the best I ever had.  
There were choruses and sing-alongs  
and not a spoken feeling  
of knowing that right now is all that matters."_

Rachel glanced over at Artie and Brittany dancing; well Brittany was dancing and Artie was rolling around her enthusiastically clapping his hands. After Brittany had revealed her and Santana's little secret things had been awkward; Artie had graciously told Brittany he would back off until she had worked everything out with the Latina. The two BFF's had talked and agreed that they loved each other and their sweet girl kisses but they weren't in love. Their friendship was so strong that the line was easily blurred. Artie and Brittany got back together and Santana had moved on with another girl on the Cheerios, a couple of guys on the football team and for one incredibly awkward night Blaine after some serious alcohol and a game of spin the bottle.

"_All the nights we stayed up talking,  
listening to eighties songs  
and quoting lines from all those movies that we love.  
It still brings a smile to my face,  
I guess when it comes down to it."_

Mercedes was dancing the slide and laughing hard at Mike and Matt competing at the worm; they still were yet to declare who was the best at it. Everyone had expected her to date him considering the crush she had had on him the sophomore year. Of course that went out the window when they all met Drake the new baritone from her church choir, he went to the private school one town over on a scholarship but still came to every competition to cheer his girl on.

"_Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up.  
These are the best days of our lives.  
The only thing that matters is just  
following your heart.  
And eventually you'll finally get it right." _

Puck was air guitaring his way across the floor, Lauren his current girlfriend rolled her eyes at him in bemusement. They were an unlikely pair but she managed to tame the renowned cougar bait. He had tried to no avail to make things work with Quinn who after her meltdown had finally agreed to see a counsellor. Now that her feelings about Beth were out there, it was just too hard for her to be with Puck and not think of their little girl. She had taken up with Sam, her adorable little stalker boy who underneath the unnatural obsession with Avatar and Justin Bieber was actually a decent guy. Of course several members of the club still had bets going over when the two parents would make their way back to each other.

"_Breaking into motel swimming pools  
and wreaking havoc on our world.  
Hanging out at truck stops just to pass the time.  
The black tops singing me to sleep.  
Lighting fireworks in parking lots,  
illuminate the blackest nights.  
Cherry cokes under this moonlight summer sky,  
2015 riverside it's time to say goodbye!  
Get on the bus, it's time to go."_

Matt had spent most of the year single; a lot of his time was taken up by looking after his younger brother and coaching his pee wee football team. He actually liked coaching more than playing and was looking into a coaching career. He was staying close to home so that he could keep coaching his team which he had named the Worms in honour of his favourite dance move.

"_Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up.  
These are the best days of our lives.  
The only thing that matters is just  
following your heart.  
And eventually you'll finally get it right."_

Finn had taken over the drumming, he'd heard the song before on one of the many mix CDs that were jammed in her glove box and his. Sectionals had definitely been memorable, for him it was the night Rachel had finally become his and that was the way it would stay, at least if he had any say in it.

"_Get it right." _

He winked at his girlfriend who smirked in return. He needed to talk to her after glee, the crumpled letter he'd gotten at lunch was burning a hole in his pocket.

"_Get it right." _

Brittany threw her arm around Rachel and sang along with her; the two girls had remained close, Santana had gotten over her jealousy after Brittany assured her that she would always be her BFF and nothing would change that. Rachel and Santana weren't best friends but they could get through the day without wanting to murder the other; sometimes they even laughed and enjoyed the others company. Not that they would admit it, most of their jibes were more for show than anything else now.

"_Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up.  
These are the best days of our lives.  
The only thing that matters is just  
following your heart.  
And eventually you'll finally get it right."_

Finn surrendered the drum sticks and joined his girlfriend swooping her up against his chest, her feet dangling. Brittany was sitting on Artie's lap, her pinkie locked with Santana's who was flirting with Matt who was flirting right back. Mike was behind him making fun of the flirting with exaggerated eye lash batting and fake swooning to the amusement of Tina and Mercedes. Sam was twirling Quinn around the room while Puck was whispering something in Lauren's ear, something that judging form his expression was dirty.

"_Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up.  
These are the best days of our lives.  
The only thing that matters is just  
following your heart.  
And eventually you'll finally get it right."_

Rachel let out a breath and beamed widely accepting the high fives from Mercedes and Tina and a kiss on the cheek from Brittany.

"That was awesome." Sam called out. "We have to do that for graduation."

"I agree, you guys were having fun out there. It was a ten."

Mr Schuester clapped loudly from the doorway.

"You're not mad that we don't want to use your song?" Mercedes asked guiltily.

"This is your last hurrah, you guys should pick the music. It was your song selection that got us to Nationals."

"We came third." Quinn pointed out sourly.

"So? You made it to Nationals and you did it together without killing each other."

"That was an achievement." Kurt agreed resting his head on Blaine's shoulder. "All those in favour of Rachel's song for graduation?"

"It's unanimous." Mr Schuester declared, every single hand was up including his own. "Now can I let you all in on a little secret or is this the wrong group for that kind of thing?"

"You better start talking before Mercedes cuts you." Matt warned, she had practically salivated at the word secret.

"Miss Pillsbury and I-"

"Engaged?"

"Married?"

"Moving in together?"

"Actually we've been living together for six months and engaged for the last three." He admitted dragging a hand through his curls. "But what I was going to tell you was that Emma's pregnant!"

"Pay up Suckerman." Lauren yelled using her very own term of endearment for her boyfriend. "I told you he'd knock her up before we graduated."

"You couldn't hold out one more week?" Puck grumbled handing over a twenty dollar bill.

"I think what Puck was trying to say was congratulations!" Finn said quickly. "You'll be an awesome dad."

"Just don't push your addiction to sweater vests on the kid." Santana told him a hint of a smile showing she meant no harm by it.

"If it's a boy don't name him Kurt unless you want him to be a pro at dumpster diving by the time he's eight."

"Whoa guys calm down, we've still got six months to worry about all of that." Mr Schuester chuckled pulling at his tie, obviously he was more nervous than he let on. "First we have to get you lot graduated. Now let's hear that number again; Finn I want you to take the bridge. Mercedes you know what to do."

"From the top!" Mike yelled clapping. "What? It's not like he's the only one allowed to say it!"

_GLEE!_

The view was amazing, of course it would have to be considering it was the penthouse complete with rooftop garden with an even more amazing view.

"You can see Central Park from here!"

Indi groaned throwing her magazine to the floor and rolling onto her stomach to look at Rachel who was struggling with a box.

"You know when I said you could still live here even though bozo the clown was coming I didn't think he'd be living here too!"

"Jackson said it was cool!" Finn replied feeling excited and childish enough to make a face at her. "Said he felt better knowing there was a man around to keep you girls safe."

"I resent that!" Carver yelled from his room.

"Last night you thought you heard a burglar and squealed like a four year old and begged me to check the hallway."

"So? I still resent it!"

"I'm fine to check all weird noises and or burglars." Finn assured her picking up his baseball bat and swinging it carefully. "No one's laying their hands on my girl."

"So in the event of a psycho killer always be near Rachel." Indi deduced. "Good to know."

"No, I'm fine allow the petite girl to drag all the boxes up!"

"That's the last one." Carver pointed out coming from his room. "I saw you drag from the van, I especially liked when it almost fell but you managed to grab it at the last minute. Nice reflexes."

"I hate you."

"We know." Indi and Carver answered together.

"Jinx." Finn laughed grabbing his girlfriend and pulling her away from the mountains of boxes that now filled their room, lucky it was roughly the size of the entire second floor of his house back in Lima, Jackson had definitely spoilt his sister with this purchase.

"Finn we can't just sit down, we have boxes to unpack and tomorrow we need to register and get our textbooks-"

"Calm down unpacking can wait for a few days and you're exhausted just relax for a minute and breathe. You're in New York baby." Finn soothed stroking her cheek.

"Oh barf, you guys aren't going to be like this all the time are you?"

"Why do you think Kurt and Blaine could only find a one bedroom apartment?" Rachel replied. "Apparently we're disgustingly cute. At least that's what our yearbook says."

"So disgustingly cute that even Julliard couldn't separate you." Carver mused. "Smart thinking with that diversity angle. A footballer who can sing and drum and is the preferred duet partner of their latest stunning young ingenue and recipient of a full scholarship."

"She's the adopted daughter of two gay men; one who is Jewish and one who is black and she comes from a hill billy town in Ohio, I'm pretty sure she had the diversity thing all stitched up too." Indi pointed out. "Plus SOMEone did help the both of them with their wicked, kick ass super amazing audition videos."

"Thanks Indi." Finn and Rachel droned sarcastically laughing at her mock outrage face.

"I can't be bothered cooking can we order in Thai again?"

"You don't know how to cook, yesterday you asked me how to use the toaster." Indi giggled. "And you burnt it."

"How was I supposed to know ten meant dark? I thought it would make it cook faster." Carver said defensively reaching for the phone. "You guys want Thai?"

"We ate already." Finn answered for both of them. "And we probably should start unpacking, I promised our parents we'd call when we got here and if we leave it much latter I'm pretty sure Hiram going to call the cops."

"He already has the closest precinct on speed dial." Rachel confirmed pulling her phone from her pocket. "He's already spoken with the police chief three times."

"Aw. Over protective daddy." Indi teased reaching over and pinching her cheek. "We have a doorman and security and Finn. I'm sure we're safe."

Rachel held her phone to her ear covering the mouth piece.

"Try telling them to him... Hi daddy! Hi Papa...No I could never forget you girlie. I miss you too but I have the picture you drew of all of us and it's going right above my bed."

"Hey mum...we just finished pulling everything up to the apartment...no I haven't seen Kurt and Blaine yet...yes I'll make sure to see them soon."

It took another hour before they could get their collective parental units off the phone. Finn closed the door to their room; their room he loved that. Rachel had collapsed on the king sized bed that had been her gift from Jackson; four posts timber with the softest mattress ever, he officially loved that guy right now.

"Hey babe."

"I love when you call me that." She murmured into the pillow hugging it closer. Finn dropped onto the bed and she rolled onto him her head on his chest, her hand tapping along with his heartbeat.

"We're really here." He whispered. "New York, you made it."

"With you, together." She yawned, the jet lag was getting to her. "We're in New York."

"And tomorrow we're going to the top of the empire state building and we're going to kiss." Finn promised, he'd been subjected to _An Affair To Remember_ more times than he could count in the last few months.

"And then we're going to Julliard."

"And you're going to be discovered by some agent and become a hit on broadway and win a Tony all before you're twenty-five." Finn teased running a finger up and down her arm. "And I'll be there every night with your favourite flowers and I'll be your handsome trophy husband."

"No you'll be the most sought after producer in the history of music." Rachel asked opening her eyes. "With your award winning record company."

"Which speaking of I think I've finally come up with a name for."

"And?"

"Well it was glee that brought us together and it was glee that got me to New York with you. But I don't think Glee Records is quite right so I came up with this." Finn pulled his sleeve up and turned his wrist over to reveal a gauze bandage covering the underside.

"What did you do?" Rachel bolted up out of the bed pulling at the bandage whilst checking him over for any noticeable wounds.

"This is self-inflicted babe." Finn assured her batting away her hands and pulling the bandage back.

"Finchel." She said slowly hesitant to touch the cursive words that marred his skin.

"Finn + Rachel = Finchel." He recited from memory. "That's you and me forever."

"Finchel Records." She said thoughtfully. "Not bad."

"I'm glad you think so since Jackson already registered the name."

"Finn Hudson, President of Finchel Records. I like the sound of that." Rachel told him kissing him softly, she yawned and snuggled into him once more. "Husband of Rachel Berry-Hudson. I like that more."

"Me too." He whispered closing his eyes and allowing sleep to claim him.

_GLEE!_

**Hey guys, so that was my little story. Glad you enjoyed it =D Look out for my prom one-shot that will be coming up very shortly. In case any of you were interested below is a list of all the music I have used in this fic, none of which I own. Yet. *evil laugh***

**You Don't Mean Anything To Me – Simple Plan**

**Smile – Charlie Chaplin**

**20 Good Reasons – Thirsty Merc**

**Mountain – Chocolate Starfish**

**Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar**

**Help! - The John Farnham Version**

**Circus – Britney Spears**

**Let Me Entertain You – Robbie Williams**

**Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson**

**More - Tyrone Wells**

**Not Pretty Enough – Kasey Chambers**

**Can't Get Enough of Your Love – Bad Company**

**Beth – Kiss**

**Mean – Taylor Swift**

**Good Times – The Cold Chisel/INXS Version**

**In This Diary – The Ataris**

**Hope I introduced you to some kick ass music you've never heard before but are now in love with! Plus I've got the perfect song for Finn when Quinn's little future vision comes out! **


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